A Missing Sword
by A Muffin with a Mission
Summary: The players were released from the grand game of death known as Aincrad, and not everyone who entered the game lived, while many didn't come back the same. Some never made it back at all. 300 of them should have. This is the tale in which Asuna wasn't the one who was trapped in ALfheim after Aincrad.
1. Death

**Some of the below has been taken from the anime, I do not own SAO, and all credit is due to Reki Kawahara.**

**This is just a teaser, be on the lookout for more. Review, since this is my first fic, I could use all of the help I can get (Hope there isn't any OC-ness). Also, if you see any errors, please pm me or mention it in the reviews. I hate grammar errors or spelling issues. Thanks, and at the risk of saying it too much, PLEASE REVIEW (NO FLAMES PLEASE).**

**Edit: Edited**

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Shinozaki Rika, Lisbeth looked up. Her hair strawberry pink hair falling out of place regardless of her barrette as she gazed at the sky while her hands froze in place over her well-used and loved anvil. She had been working to upgrade and smelt new armor for some of the clearers, while also working on some side projects for the regular players as well, when a sound like the soft jingle of bells had begun to ring across Aincrad. Startled, she stood statue still till the fire in the furnace behind her hissed and crackle, bringing her to life quicker than any enchantment. Hurrying, she removed some ore from the furnace to quickly quench it in the salt water barrel set aside for that purpose. The music started softly and grew to crescendo, accompanied by a fanfare of instruments. The cacophony of noise drowned out any other kind of sound; so much so that it made her miss the crafting cue in favor of clamping her hands over her strained ears. The ghostly trumpets blaring, she turned to face the sky only to see nothing but clear blue with patches of clouds. That wasn't unusual, considering that poor weather was usually the sign of an event, or was specifically designed for atmosphere. An impersonal, computer generated, yet somehow feminine voice rang through the level, and most likely throughout all of Aincrad

_"Congratulations. As of 14:55, November 7, the game has been cleared."_

Its voice resonated from sparsely populated first floor, to the more lived-in middle floors, and finally the clearers on the 75th floor (most likely anyway). One word stuck in her mind though, repeating in her mind like a broken and outdated gramophone that her grandmother would tell her about. "…_ cleared.",_ "..._has been cleared.",_ "…_the game has been cleared."_

"Is it true...Is it really over?" came whispered throughout, the endless chatter and everyday trivialities coming to a halt. The occasional "No way…!" and sobbing were interspersed with calls of relief and joy.

Lisbeth couldn't believe it, grip loosening she dropped her hammer, ignoring the clang and immortal object notice as it hit the floor. She stood there, unable to contain her excitement, as the computer generated voice repeated itself once more. She couldn't stand anymore, as her shoulders began to shake, her trembling legs turned to jelly, leaving her on the floor still shaking. She started laughing unable to contain her relief, and maybe with more than a little hysteria. Heaving with laughter, surrounded by the cheers and joyful screams of the other floors. It was over.

While gazing around, the world off in the distance started to fade to white, while the sound of crumbling objects, the "ting" of newly created polygons drifting off into the sky. She continued to smile as tears continued to stream down her face. She was relieved, but she was sad. She knew that finally returning to the world she had been left behind wouldn't be easy. It would be filled with difficulty and she didn't want to leave the new friends that she had made behind, or at least the ones she had lost. She also knew it would be worth it.

She also felt gratitude. Gratitude to the people she knew. Gratitude to the people she was certain had cleared the game. It couldn't be anyone else but them. No one else that she knew had the level of bravery and determination that was necessary to meet their goal. Kirito and Asuna. Especially 25 floors early. They were responsible for saving their friends, and the other survivors of Sword Art Online, none other than the infamous 'Beater' the legendary 'Black Swordsman'. Now it seemed that there was going to be one more title to the list: 'The Savior of the People of Aincrad'. The boy no, man, that she loved, the person in her life that made her heart beat faster and her face flush when they were together. Then there was her best friend, Asuna 'The Flash' and sub-leader of the renowned guild Knights of the Blood. Someone that she cared about just as much as Kirito, and had known for longer. Kirito and Asuna were together and married but that didn't stop Lisbeth from caring about either of them. Nothing would. She also knew she'd have to suffer awhile, pining after him, but her friendship came before her feelings, and she respected Asuna. She wanted their relationship to blossom and turn into something real in the real world. That didn't stop her from hoping though, and it was sometimes hope that hurt the most.

The scenery darkened, the cheering continued on regardless of the change in setting. Lisbeth strove to hear what was going on around her, but as the world fell apart and the edges of her vision began to go white, she hoped that all of her friends, Kirito, Asuna, Agil,Silica,and the others had made it out alright and that she would see them in her second life. "I want to meet them again." She thought as the world fogged up and her vision went white, and then transitioned to black leaving her home of two years behind.

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**-Line break-**

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Now empty, the floating city, Aincrad continued to break down. The wind sailed through the empty streets keening in loss for the captives that brought the place life. The NPCs had all frozen in place at the end of the game, smiles frozen creepily mid-movement. Living statues, stuck in inaction for all eternity. A merchant whose arm thrown across the stall reaching for money that would never be placed in his hand, triumphant grin in place. A little girl, about 5, stuck in the air mid-run arms flung out behind her as if wings were held in her tiny fists. A man across from her face worn with time and hard work, bent down to pick her up in his arms, harsh features soft, with care and devotion.

Slowly the NPC's returned to motion, just before their demise. The children would run to their parents, still grinning toothless grins, innocent to their fate. While the older ones in the know, huddled in the relative safety of their parents arms, scared of the unknown. The lovers returned to their respective others, and friends together. Many wept, noses running, resenting the world that was ending, that forced them to leave behind all of their friends. All of them spending their last moments together.

One by one, amid a sea of quiet panic, tears, and muted screams, they were turned to iridescent polygons, indistinguishable from their surroundings or loved ones.

It doesn't matter though, the NPC's aren't sentient and can't feel. It doesn't matter how many died over the years, their lives have no meaning. They were created for the game, to smile and play along to a predetermined script.

It doesn't matter that they died, and the only ones that cared, and the only ones who could tell you otherwise, are gone now anyway.

And Aincrad ceased to exist.


	2. Revelation

**Some of the below has been taken from the anime, I do not own SAO, and all credit is due to Reki Kawahara.**

**I hope those who read it liked my first chapter, more of a preview, really. Not much to get excited about. I hope you all liked it anyway. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I hope for more in the future. There might be too many commas, I'm becoming something of a comma fiend. If you have any tips on that front, PLEASE send some help. Thanks.**

**Okay last chapter started with Lisbeth and ended with a little blurb about the NPCs. It gave me an idea about something on the side. Maybe I'll post something in the future. Until then, thanks for reading, and be on the lookout. Review!**

**: )**

**Edit: Edited Xp**

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The TV mumbled in the background, creating a semi-irritating buzz in the hospital suite, playing some drama he supposed, voices buzzing softly.

"Not that anyone was really around to watch it." thought Sugou Nobuyuki dryly.

The single occupant of the luxuriously decorated room was sleeping, apparently comatose. The TV chirped, and upon closer inspection, it seemed that a couple of the actors were nearly at each other's throats.

It was beginning to get on his nerves;their nasal voices grating on his years but, he was steadfastly ignoring it instead focusing on the soft fragile object held between his hands. It was small, breakable. It was the hand belonging to a girl the daughter of his co-worker and friend. He smoothly drew his gaze from her hand up the clean lines of her arms, which though greatly thinned weren't unattractive. His inspection continued upwards, to her chest, that softly rose and fell with her shallow breaths.

"Not bad..."

He whispered aloud unintentionally, but he wasn't worried; the closest person was a woman at the nurse's station, and the television would have easily covered up such a small sound.

Even so, he hastily drew his eyes up to the face and saw a slim nose, sharp cheek bones, and slightly pursed lush lips. A delicate flower, framed by a metal crown. The gleaming surface had dulled with time and wear, but it still retained the glowing lights and slight metallic sheen. The crown of a princess locked in the far away tower, to be rescued by her knight in shining armor.

But he knew better, in reality she was a strong young woman, who knew what she wanted, and by default, what, or who as the case may be, she didn't want. She knew better than to fight against the inevitable however, he was sure that hadn't changed. She would become resigned soon enough. He glanced her way, distracted from his thoughts, and brought his hand lightly to her cheek and brushed his fingers against it gently. Tracing a light finger across her dry lips.

Soft.

And soon to be his.

He pulled his hand back to himself, using his index finger to push back up glasses that had been sliding down his nose during his inspection, fixed his hair as a piece had come loose from its organized fashion. Leaning back in his chair, folding his arms he became still.

And so, he began to plan.

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**-Line break—**

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Kaya Akari's morning had started off the same as usual. Her son slept in, running out of the house with a single piece of toast stuffed in his mouth. Tripping out the door without his shoes on all of the way. Her husband had left in a similar manner, except for the fact that he had his shoes all of the way on his feet, was dressed in a suit, and kissed her on the way out.

"Boys" she had thought amusedly with a shake of her head.

Kaya had been in charge of all of the SAO victims in the hospital. There weren't a lot of people allocated towards it anymore, what with most of the people having been there for more than two years. It had been way too costly, and more often than not, the only care the patients needed was post mortem. Truthfully, it wasn't a job that required a lot of day to day maintenance as all of their needs were set up at the beginning and end of each week, with the occasional medical emergency during that time period.

She wasn't sure how she felt, seeing so many young people stuck, unmoving, unfeeling, as they slowly wasted away. She had been working in the hospital for more than two years, shortly after the commencement of Sword Art Online, and immediately after the parents and friends realized that the innocuous game that had been in the works for years, one of the first VRMMOs, had become a prison when in fact it was supposed to be a pathway to adventure and freedom.

At first, the visitors had come constantly, hoping that a miracle would occur and their child would suddenly wake up, safe and sound. As time passed though, the visitors became less and less frequent, the despair growing and growing, until many stopped coming at all. At least, until they were often woken up in the middle of the night, or called away from work, with the news that their loved ones had been killed. By that point though, most of them had given up anyway.

She would have to clean them up, so their family and friends wouldn't be shocked by their appearance. In death their eyes ears and nose would often bleed and the eyeballs might melt, leaving empty glaring sockets, the smell of burnt hair and cooking flesh. They would often seizing until they died completely, brain fried from the very device that was supposed to deliver them to happiness.

She would often think whenever this happened, was "Why?" and even sometimes that "It could have been me."

Before she became a nurse at her current hospital, she had almost gotten the Nerve Gear, as Sword Art Online had sounded fascinating. She wanted to know if the game could do all that it claimed, if it looked just like real life, and what kind of sensations would make it through the link. She didn't have solely a scientific interest though, medical school was stressful, and she wanted something to spend her time on that was fun and exciting, something to distract herself from the hum and drum of daily life, from others expectations and her own failures. The only reason she wasn't stuck in that hell-hole like the rest of them was that her hard work had finally paid off. She had been offered an internship at the very hospital that she worked at now.

As Kaya was preparing to make her daily rounds, matronly brunette hair pulled into a professional bun; she heard a commotion from one of the rooms, followed by the blaring of alarms. She was distracted from her own panic and alarm by the television at her station. Up until that point she had been watching a drama that was broadcast to the rooms of the more "expensive" rooms. It was a repeat of last month's episode, she would know, having seen them all on her various shifts in the high end wards.

The TV had changed itself to an emergency alert, as it had come to the attention of the various hospitals in the area that the SAO prisoners were waking up, quickly flashing to videos of various emaciated people, varying from young children to adults moving, waking up, before the various cameramen were kicked out. There was more than one tearful reunion shown. Parents hugging children desperately, lovers and friends doing the commotion getting louder as loud ringing noises emanated from more rooms down the hall. She quickly dialed the phone for some help, listening to the dial tone, Kaya couldn't help but feel some kind of excitement and trepidation, as she spoke into the phone ignoring the blaring alarms the best she could.

The people of Aincrad, denizen of Sword Art Online, were awake.

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**Not so sure if I liked this one as much. Hopefully its fine! Thanks for reading. Might be some edits later, just wanted to put this up.**

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Plans & Unexpected Awakenings

**Some of the below has been taken from the anime, I do not own SAO, and all credit is due to Reki Kawahara.**

**Hi thanks for reading the last two chapters. The plot should be picking up, in this chapter, or if not this one, the next one. Keep in mind that I am new to this, but I'm trying to speed it up, and make more happen, less tell and more show.**

**I don't see this as being a just a 10 chapter thing, I want to try to write something that is the right length to tell the story, and I am trying to make each chapter over a thousand words. At the same time, I only have a general idea of what I want to happen, so a lot of brainstorming is going on along the way. I'll try to keep the updates frequent, but I can't say that there will always be an update a day.**

**If anyone has anything they think would be awesome, PM me or put it in the reviews and I'll see what I can do. Thanks for your patience, and as always, PLEASE REVIEW.**

**Edit: Edited 3**

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"It isn't true right?"

She cried desperately, hoping with all of her heart that what Kirito had revealed to the clearers was wrong. She stared at Heathcliff, looking for something that would tell her that it was all a lie, that it was all some sick joke. Her voice wavered, cracking as she repeated herself, crying at him

"It's not true right?!"

He just stared impassively, eyes cool slate, emotionless, as if they weren't discussing his true identity and ultimately his allegiance to the people that completely outnumbered him didn't deign to answer her, just looking around him as if they weren't fit to look at him. An overconfidence bordering on arrogance. He didn't speak a word.

Shocked Asuna could do nothing but stumble back. Kirito's waiting arms reaching for her as she began her descent.

"Why?"

Asuna queried wretchedly, she had fought for her life with him at her side. Back when she had been a soulless stoic figure, no hope for the future, she had had nothing. Then Kirito had come. He gave her something to look forward to other than her imminent demise. Then he left to fight by himself. She wanted to be like him, carefree, but living with a mission. So she did something with herself, gave herself a purpose; She had joined the Knights of the Blood. They were fighting for the betterment of the innocents, for the total of Aincrad's prisoners. To say she was crushed was an understatement. They were fighting minutes ago side by side, and now he was an enemy. This was too much. She wanted everything to stop. She needed to think.

But things were happening too fast

Howard went after him sword first; everyone went down, no one could interfere with his wishes. Above every single life bar except for Heathcliff and Kirito, was the tiny lightning bolt symbol that spelled death for any soloer. The paralysis symbol, with it in effect, no one could move a muscle. Her own limbs were limp and numb, not responding to any of her commands.

But she forced herself to pay attention to the conversation between Heathcliff and Kirito. He was playing the devil's advocate. Impressed with Kirito's abilities to discern his true identity he was giving Kirito the option to fight him now for the right to leave the game.

"Kirito, don't fight him, we'll make our way out of here together!"

But he wasn't listening. She could tell what thoughts were playing through his head; "Why did everyone have to die?"; "I can save everyone from further pain.", "I have the power to free everyone", "even if something were to happen to me…", "I don't want any more people to get hurt." She knew her husband.

"You'll come back right?!" She pleaded, watching Kirito's face harden with determination, arms loosening around her waist, body already tensing in preparation for battle. His eyes darkened, flecks of gold apparent that were normally invisible apparent. He was hesitating, he wasn't going to answer her. No. Then suddenly his features softened a bit, and he replied quietly

"I _will_ return to you Asuna."

Her eyes widened, and then her face also tightened and she did the only thing she could. She decided to believe in him, she wouldn't be the one to pull him down.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

It was all she and the others could do to watch, unable to act as one of their own risked everything for freedom.

Not long after, swords flashed, she didn't know when they started, or how long that they had been fighting, but they were evenly matched.

Normally she would be appalled at herself for her lack of concentration, but for some reason her consciousness occasionally flickered in and out of awareness. Swords flashed, Kirito dashing forward light glaring off of Elucidator and Dark Repulser as he flew at Heathcliff. The swords clashed, both bladed edges keening on contact, eager for the blood of their master's enemies. He was fighting for not only his life, but her life, and the lives in everyone else in SAO. Nothing had changed, except with the ending being a forgone conclusion, they would win. With someone else's wellbeing on the line, there was no way that he would fail them.

She stared at the flashing blades, fighting their dance of death, trying to discern any differences in skill between the two. It seemed that no matter what, Kirito was faster in movement, and had a higher reaction speed. Heathcliff on the other hand was more like tank. While Kirito was no fragile speedster, he couldn't compete with the overwhelming superiority of the Heathcliff's health and armor ratings. He had stamina, HP, and plenty of armor, and somehow had speed to match Kirito even with all of the aforementioned equipment. Combine that with his unique skill, and he was a walking demolitionist, able to switch between attack and defense almost instantly as the situation called for it.

He quickly used his shield to bash at Kirito, but her husband managed to use his swords backlash upon hitting the shield to move him out of Heathcliff's range, dodging what could have easily been a crippling blow. Using Heathcliff's momentary surprise, he ran forward, body almost parallel to the ground and managed to deliver a somewhat glancing blow with the one-hit sword skill _**Vorpal Strike**_. He had to retreat quickly in order to dodge the return , as hit after hit was blocked, Elucidator flying forward only to be deflected by Liberator (Oh the irony, the sword of their warden, called freedom.) or his shield, and then while Kirito was deflected he would try to get in close for a hit. They couldn't land any solid hits.

It didn't matter though, the battle had quickly become one of endurance, one of attrition. The one who managed to land the surest strike or the most crippling blow would come out the winner. The one who made a mistake, even the smallest error, would be the they were scoring small cuts here and there, but overall, no one could get in a finishing move. When she looked at Kirito's face, she could see the lightly glinting rhombuses flitting off a light wound on his cheek. The red light fading as it was lifted off and away. There was no telltale glow in the gleaming arcs of his blades,

"Of course" Asuna breathed, since Heathcliff was also Kayaba Akihiko, he could easily blocked the skills that HE had programmed into the game. But Kirito was going faster. And faster. And faster. Faster than fast. He was starting to overwhelm Heathcliff with his speed. One blocked hit only spiraling into the next attack.

And suddenly, Heathcliff grinned.

He stopped retreating. He raised his shield high. And. Then. He. Freaking. Fended. Off. Every hit Kirito could send his way. It was like he was only playing with him before. The clang, ring, and tang of metal hitting metal rang throughout the downed crowd of people. Suddenly during a straight on collision of Dark Repulser and Heathcliff's shield, the sword broke. The upper tip clattering to the floor in a shower of icy blue particle effects.

(Somewhere, a certain pink haired blacksmith's heart felt a black chill.)

Asuna knew that Heathcl- No, Kayaba Akihiko, wouldn't miss this chance to win. Not with everything he had created on the line. She struggled to move, struggled to get to her feet.

"Move. Move dang it!" she cried, managing to move even as Kayaba Akihiko's sword glowed a deadly red. She had to move. She limped a step. She took another. And another. Suddenly she was running, and straight in the way of Kayaba Akihiko's fatal strike. But that was alright; Somehow for her Kirito.

The sword connected. She rolled with the blow, but it didn't help much as bloody gashes rent her body as she flew back due to the sheer force of the hit. Of course Kirito caught her in his arms. His face… She strived to memorize it. His effeminate cheekbones, the way his eyebrows scrunched up when he was sad. The way his eyes were sometimes so dark that she felt they could put out the sun. How he would always pout when she teased him, how he made the word turn just by being by her side.

Her health bar was gone. She was going to die. She would never again see her mother, father, brother. But that was alright. She didn't want to die. She wanted to live… She wanted to be with Agil, Lisbeth and the others. To be with Kirito. But that was alright. It was fine, as long as he was alive. As long as she new that somewhere, somewhen, her family would be alright and Kirito… Kirito would find love again.

He was crying. Her own eyes glistened with tears.

How he would…. Cry for her. But she dint want _someone else _to love him. He was hers! She wanted to be his forever. She wanted to be the one he loved and didn't want to share him with anyone else. _So what_ if it was selfish. He wanted to live! She didn't want to share _her_ friends, _her_ family,_ her_ Kirito with anyone else. She didn't want someone else to take her place.

"No….Asuna…."

Came from above her, even as she struggled to turn her head, to look him right in the eyes, she could tell she was fading. Light was fading, she couldn't see him. SHE COULDN'T SEE HIM. Then suddenly she caught a glimpse, she felt her tears fall, and her reality shattered.

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**Hope that was alright. I got this part finished and I thought it was wasn't that bad, so I decided to put it up. This is mostly a recreation of the fight berween Heathcliff and Kirito in episode 14, and some of the light novel. Hope you enjoy. Thanks :D**

**REVIEW.**


	4. Fears

**THANKS FOR THE REVIEW'S!**

**I dont know exactly how I feel about this chapter, I was emotional when writing it.**

**FoxOnPie**

**Wildgirl404**

**MSAP Wiz**

**Flairina- True, but it definitely helped me pin down the characterization, and was good practice in writing in my writing style while still sticking to the facts. Plus, the extra practice helps.**

**Anju Makaa- Thanks!**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter.**

Edit: Edited

_Asunas P.O.V_

_He was so close. Right there! She reached for him, trying to grasp his hand. Just as her fingers were millimeters away, he was suddenly jerked right of her reach. Something was pulling him away from her; pulling him out of her reach. She jerked forward, just on more inch… one more centimeter she just barely touched his hand…. _

_A sword out of nowhere came arcing towards her throat._

She woke up, breathing hard, gasping as if she had been running a marathon, her own hands grasping tightly at her own neck, as if trying to find her own pulse. Eyes franticly searching, darting madly from side to side_, where was he?_ Hands searching blindly she crawled to her left

"Kirito…Kirito?"

She heard a soft sigh of sleep and finally grasped a cloth covered was sleeping beside her, face relaxed; lines of worry and hardship smoothed. Slightly too long black hair trailed behind his head as he nestled further into the covers. They were okay, safe and sound in their cabin on the 22nd floor.

His arm tightened around her side, unconsciously pulling her back down to the bed. Asuna knew that with this show of affection, her cheeks were burning embarrassingly bright. Gazing quietly, inwardly squealing

"_I can't believe how adorable he is when he's asleep!"_

He looked so young, and he was, younger than her at least. Gathering her courage, inwardly feeling an almost unbearable amount of both affection and love, that she couldn't hold it in anymore. Pulling her face towards his, taking in his deep breaths, his long eyelashes, and calm features. She darted forward and planted a kiss right on his nose. Leaning back to watch amusedly as he pulled his arms from the rumpled covers to rub a hand blearily across his face. In the middle of rubbing, one of his eyes blinked open and then upon seeing Asuna's smiling face, shouted inarticulately before jumping backwards and throwing himself from the warm comfort of the bed onto the cold hard floor.

Asuna couldn't help herself, she burst out into loud raucous peals of laughter.

Kirito;s pout surely didn't help, it was too adorable to be taken seriously. Though rather than sitting there and stewing in his own embarrassment he laughed with her. That was one of the things she loved about him, he's humble.

Still giggling she pulled herself up and twirled around arms spread,before stopping flinging them out behind her, hair looping lightly in the breeze trailing through the open window.

"Kirito-kun! Let's play outside today! Hm?"

Eyes trained on his, he only responded with a slight crinkle around his eyes as the corners of his lips pulled upwards into a smile.

Asuna dimpled at him and coyly blinked her eyes in his direction.

He stared, then shook his head when he realized that he hadn't really answered her.

"Yeah."

**-linebreak—**

"You know, Kirito-kun, I love you." She whispered lips close to his ear bent over his head as his head lay on her lap. He closed his eyes as if savoring the words, he looked upwards deep into her eyes and leaned upwards close to face hesitating only briefly before kissing her. She pressed her hands to sides of his face as the kiss deepened before she leaned back breathing slightly hard.

Below her, Kirito-kun pulled himself up and scooted back next to her. Without speaking they wrapped their arms around each other's waist and together they gazed out towards the setting sun; the varying hues of the sky running together like watercolors. Only what should have been a beautiful effect was ruined as it became a ruddy brown, rather than the normal varying hues.

Asuna frowned, and a when the wind blew, there was an unexpected chill to the air. "Kirito-kun"

She said turning to look in his direction but once her head finished the half rotation needed to face him and the nasty feeling that had been coming to her had the brunette on high alert. Head whipping around, she crushed her growing panic. He was around here, playing a joke on her.

_No need to worry._

Quickly gathering the blanket and basket in her hands she heard a amused shout from behind her

"Asuna! C'mon!" _She knew it._

Laughing she turned to him "Mou, Kirito you big dummy." Pout already in place as she jogged lightly over to him before dropping her things and giving him a big hug. He laughed holding her, and she could feel his chest rising with each cheerful exhale. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and her head rested against his cheek.

He felt a little cold, but she put it off as the newfound chill in the air as the sun set in the muddy, dried blood sky.

"Kirito-kun, we should bring Yui with us next time." She told him, heart warm. His reply was much dimmer in comparison, a muted "Yeah… next time…"

"Kirito-kun?"

He wasn't just cold, he was freezing. Her heart froze like she was paralyzed as she both heard and felt as a wet cough wracked its way out of his chest. Pulling back, she realized that dots of red had seeped through the dark cloth of his shirt, looking black and rotten against the fading light and dark cloth. The blood wasn't the crimson healthy color of fresh blood, but a scabbed brown. The color of old wounds turned sour. She pulled away in alarm, her hands rising to push against the rising tide of rust. When her hands came into contact with the tattered cloth, it simply fell away, as the cuts repeated and repeated until it simply disintegrated.

_His chest. HIS CHEST. _His chest had resurrected a deadly fissure in which the foul liquid was simply POURING out. That wasn't the only one however. One of the arms she had been holding onto simply crumbled away under her hand to become a bloody stump, roughly hewn to where she could see the bone.

Raising her hands to her face, blood smearing her hands, she fell backward. He coughed once more, blood spattering the now-dead grass beneath them. He stood there, as bones broke, and as his body fell apart. He was grimacing in pain, the earlier grin nothing but a dream. She watched as blood started making its way from his eyes, becoming nothing more than hollows; as his muscles disappeared as he became nothing more than a skeleton wrapped in tight flesh.

_There couldn't be that much blood in the human body. _Was her only thought.

Then suddenly she realized_, This is what I always feared would happened to Kirito_.

The chest wound, and the arm, from Kuradeel, the constant cuts and bruises that never showed in game. The various injuries that he would have accumulated from fighting all the time like he had. Then the weight loss, what she feared for his body in the real world, the bleeding from the eyes, nose and ears; what she thought would happen if he died in-game. Her fears for him, coming alive on his body.

She managed to turn away from those thoughts, and focus on was reaching for her, arms shaking even as tracks of gore dried on his face.

"Asuna, where are you?!" His panicked face whipping around as if to catch a glimpse of her, but unable to find her right in front of him. Arms desperately reaching for her, even as he was collapsing. It was amazing he had stayed standing for as long as he had.

"Right here", she managed to whisper, as she caught him in her arms.

_He's so light._

"Asuna… it's just a dream right?" came suddenly.

She could only stare at him as he looked unseeingly at her "No, Kirito-kun...It's a nightmare."

"But we get out right, we get to go home…?"

"Yeah. Yeah we do."

"Thank goodness…" he trailed off.

She gently laid him down, and placed a kiss gently on his forehead, but she thought he definitely stopped breathing a while ago. He needed to know the answer before he could rest. But her?

She needed to wake up. Some kind of life was waiting for her, and she wouldn't fail him this time.

**Feels really short, but I find it easier to write in short stints, and it lets me update more often.**

**Does this count as a cliff-hanger? If it does, sorry about that because it seems to be something that I have a habit of writing. Hope you enjoyed. I felt really sad writing this, and I hope I managed to keep them in character.**

**~A Muffin with a Mission**


	5. An exchange

**I do not own SAO, and all credit is due to Reki Kawahara.**

**Thanks everyone! A Missing Sword has officially gotten ten followers! Thanks to everyone who red and those who followed/favorite.**

**Wildgirl404- That comment made my day. It's really nice to know what you think of the chapters I put out.**

**Thanks Captain Cookies, and dch448 for follow/faving.**

_THOUGHTS_

"ssfas" speech

* * *

**3RD Person P.O.V**

The sparkles of bright multicolored lights floated throughout the air. Spirits and tiny faeries. Impossibly colored birds flitted throughout the trees, shades of blue, green, red. While their perches swayed listlessly in the wind.

Impossible cities dotted the land, marked out by different colors, and different habitats. Whether it be luxurious and high towers by the sea, to dark dungeons littered with traps and dangers. But in the center of it all sits the tree of legend, spine spiraling upwards to the clouds.

The branches reached across the entirety of the continent, even if it was only a single twig that touched the extremities. It presided over the world. It was the heavens, and the clouds, fields of blue and silver standing out against the lit background of the sky. The twirling otherworldly tree's bark climbed ever upwards until the top could no longer be seen by the naked eye, the impossible highest point that could never be reached by mortals. But a goal in futility to be sought after but never reached.

At the base of the tree, no far below that, at the roots, in the caves and underground entrances formed from the trees growth in the rich dark earth, came feral cries of the blighted gods below the base of the world tree.

Above ground; out of reach of the damned is the town of Arrun the city at the base of the tree. Where individuals or groups of any race may come to live and prosper. It spirals upwards at the base, full of light. It is home to the white stone gate that lead to the ultimate battle to fight for the right to enter the utopia that is the floating city. A symbol of hope, but a warning to those who wish to reach the top. Fraught with danger, but the only way to reach the top of the tree. For the right to fly as high and far as any player would want.

At the top of the tree, out of sight, and unknown to even the most adventurous player of Alfheim in the shadows of the highest branches of the tree hung a cage. It gleamed even the darkness, as if lit from within. The interior while luxurious was cold. The comfortable furniture and regal internal structure belied the fact that it was in fact a prison. Frozen blue lights flared in the ceiling, and chains sprouted from the walls. iron, and unbreakable. It was missing any visible exit, as befitting a prison.

Chained to the wall, wrists entangled in unforgiving metal band and arms pulled backwards into an uncomfortable position. Stuck kneeling, was the unconscious body of a young boy. His face was tilted towards the gleaming floor, unable to be seen, but his hair was limp and was slightly longer than what was expected of a boy. Long delicate ears tapered from the sides of his head, golden earrings glinting. His chest was exposed, other than the fact that grayish silver bandages covered his torso up to the neck, and over the bandages there was a simple black vest. Pale ashen skin was exposed along the lower arms, as if he had never seen the light of day. He was barefoot, wearing loose fitting pants. On his back came wings, each side an obsidian black with a golden tint along the edges, they looked sharp but the inner wing had a softer quality. Overall it looked feral and dangerous.

The air misted with his every breath, his hands were clenched, his body shivered often. Chilled wind streamed through the bars.

However, unknown to even the one who held him in that icy prison, he was smiling, as if he knew something that they didn't. In his clenched hand, loosening in fatigue, lay a simple leather necklace, while a single teardrop crystal trailed from his loosened palm.

-Line Break—

Kikioka POV

Kikuoka Seijirou, against popular belief was not a cold man. He just had troubles expressing emotion. He had a hard time showing anything past his cold façade. However, the feeling he first had upon seeing Yuuki Asuna was not one of pity, in fact it was anything but. The determination on her face despite the fact that she had the right to throw herself one heck of a pity party. No. In fact she was working twice as hard as many of the other SAO survivors to be back up to par.

He had barely ever heard of the heiress, other than maybe one name on a list of ten thousand, which he had only seen in passing. He had been in charge of innumerable children, young adults. He had watched as many died, as he was unable to do anything to help. All he could do is catalogue the names, and give whatever information to the friends and family of the ones trapped that he could glean from the game.

However, towards the middle and close to the end of the game, he kept finding information on three people. Heathcliff, Kirito, and one Asuna. They were renowned throughout the game for their skill in battle. And looking on at the girl the name belong to, he could very well believe it.

But he had to put those feelings of admiration aside, he had to know what was happening, and if there was anyone who would know anything about it, it would be the aforementioned three. And she was the only one in any condition to say something about it.

He fixed his glasses, rearranged his tie and made sure he was presentable, after all he was about to go talk to a war hero.

* * *

**-Line Break—**

* * *

**Asuna POV**

When she woke up, she had her family was there. As the world blurred into focus, she had been overwhelmed by a multitude of doctors, asking her questions; checking out her health. But in the background, hovering anxiously, had been her parents and brother.

After flurry of tests, a couple shots, and a stern order to "Not move." The doctors retreated enough to allow her family to speak with her. The converged as one, her mothers usually unruffled and cold appearance in place, but it was obvious that they had been camped out near her for a while. Her hair was bedraggled and her fathers glasses were ever so slightly askew. Her brother was in similar straits.

_Why? We had already been in the game for so long…. They couldn't have been doing this the entire time._

"Asuna" they cried nearly as one in their relief, and she managed a laugh as they nearly all collided in their excitement to be closer to her, and to speak with her.

The first words out of her mother's mouth was "Asuna! Look at you, you've withered away to almost nothing. I told you nothing good could come of playing those games, just look at how many died! You could have been one of them!"

_I think it's a good idea that I don't tell her that I nearly died…, _she thought amusedly, but also more than half-way serious. Her father and brother just sat on the bed next to her, keeping watch as the nagging continued. She could tell in their slouched posture and relieved expressions that they were happy she was back though.

Much to their disagreement and trepidation, she pulled up her arm (which was full of needles, ugh...) and managed with a lot of effort to push herself into an upright position. She almost didn't make it though, the strain had her out of breath and her head spun. She managed to ignore the protests around her telling her to lay back down, to rest.

"Okaa-san, Otou-san, Onii-san… there is something that I need to know. Things that I need to do. I…. I can't just relax. To accomplish these goals, I need to get healthy as soon as possible. I want to start physical therapy immediately." Her face could have only been described as determined. Even thin and emaciated, she emanated a sense of calm and willpower.

The family gathered before her looked at each other, and took in her resolution before the father took the lead and spoke "Asuna, sweetie, you should rest a while. You were one of the last people to wake up…. We were afraid that you never would. You woke up days after the mass logout. Most of the surviving players had been up for a week. We don't know why it took you so much longer than the others to get back…"

Asuna was touched by their concern. Her thoughts however were tinged with shock, and she accidentally shouted out "Did everyone make it out okay?! Agil, Silica, Lisbeth? Did Kirito-kun?" Only to blush in embarrassment at the confounded looks on her families faces.

From the door however, came a slightly amused voice "I might have some answers for you, if you have some for me."

* * *

**Well, sorry for the delay. I told myself that I was going to finish writing it last night. But I got held up on trying to think about how I wanted it to go. Hope you like it.**

**Review!**

**~A Muffin with a Mission**


	6. Awakening

**I do not own SAO, and all credit is due to Reki Kawahara.**

**Thanks to everyone for showing interest in the story.**

**Thanks for subscribing/faving/reviewing since my last chapter:**

**InvisableTarget, FlowerFairy22, EnderJelly, Tolotos, shanagan, Miguel22, AJz3,ChaoticSwordOfCrimson, Nihil Verum, RavenX1339,TheMoneyKid,Dragoslayer**

**Weaver Chance, thanks for the review! I'll take that into account, frankly I think the starts needs a changeup, and I felt that the chapters were starting to seem like stand-alone chapters the way I was writing them. I think starting where I left off will help with the feeling of continuity. Hopefully it helps.**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

**Edit: Edited :p**

* * *

**Kikuoka P.O.V.**

* * *

Seeing the flush on the young woman's face, Kikuoka thought that he might have walked in on something awkward, and decided to do the girl a favor. For the conversation ahead, he could use all the leverage he could get.

"I might have some answers for you, if you have some for me."

He ignored the surprised looks being thrown his way and stared intently at the girl in the hospital bed from his spot in the doorway, waiting for her response.

"You tell me what I want to know and I'll see if I can answer your questions." She smiled back at him and she gestured weakly but insistently for him to take a seat in a nearby chair.

He noticed at the glares he was getting from her parents, most likely for interrupting them just as they were spending their time with their daughter for the first time in over two years. He shifted uneasily and felt more than a little guilty. But it had to be done, he had his job to do, and they had theirs.

"Maybe… it would be easier to have this conversation in private." When the family made no move to leave, he added "just the two of us."

The mother, Yuuki Kyouko, if he was correct, was the first to speak. And she did. Angrily. She got up in his face, finger wagging, "How dare you! We finally have been able to speak to and spend time with MY DAUGHTER. For the first time in two years. Then you come along and try to get in the way of it! If you weren't a government employee I would've-"

Only, half-way into her sure to be magnificent tirade Asuna interrupted her mother. "No. Mother, Father...Brother" She added after catching her brother's movement out of the corner of her eye, "It's alright."

"But-"

"I'll be fine."She smiled benignly at them, but there was a steely glint in her eye that made her brother gulp, and her parents shake their heads in exasperation. She continued to smile at them until they sheepishly made their way out of the room. Her brother hesitated at the doorway, giving Kikuoka the glaring eyes of death,

"Brother." Her smile was still in place, but it was much wider, showing teeth.

"Go." And he was gone.

_Good lord, she must be stubborn._

They sat in uncomfortable silence, long after the sound of echoing footsteps faded. No one wanting to make the first move. Kikuoka shifted, trying to find a comfortable position in the stiff chair. Children, more often than not, are more likely to speak of dangerous or foolhardy events in their absence.

Of the people that had survived Sword Art Online, they often reacted to being questioned in different ways. Some retreated into a shell of despair, some boasted of their accomplishments and overstated their self-importance or achievements. While others did the exact opposite, they played their actions down and understated the danger that they were in out of concern for others feelings above their own. He had guessed that based on the rumors of her attitude and personality that she had been the last variety. Though he couldn't be sure if she was one of those people who acted differently than they did in real life.

That made this conversation both easier and harder. She obviously didn't want her parents to know, otherwise she would have let them stay in the room. At the same time, she was confident that she could handle a having to reveal her no doubt traumatic experience so soon after coming out of it. To her, it was most likely less than a few hours since she had been with her friends, only to find out that it had been far longer.

She was adaptable, able to react to unexpected situations with an ease that surprised him, and not a bit of her inner feelings were showing on her face. This would make it difficult to determine whether he could take what she said at face value when it came to danger. But it definitely made her a more likable individual. No one likes a braggart.

"How about-" He opened his mouth to say something, even though she kind of intimidated him (she reminded him of his mother), she beat him to the punch.

"How about we introduce ourselves", she interrupted, smiling sanguinely but her teeth glinted dangerously in the sunlight coming from the window. (Now was the time show that he was in charge-show his dominance over the situation).

"I'll go first. I am Kikuoka Seijirou and I'm in my late twenties, and an investigator in the 'Sword Art Online Case Victims Rescue Force'."

Then he gestured to the young lady across from him. She seemed amused by his directness.

"I'm Yuuki Asuna, 17 years old. Also known as Asuna,"The Flash", Survivor of SAO, sub commander of the KOB." She paused a thoughtful look on her face,

"How should we do this?"

"Hmmm~ How about an exchange of information? I ask you something and then you do the same."

"That seems fair… I'll let you start." Well so much for him being in charge. No matter, he would take what he could get.

"For starters, what exactly was your role in the death game?" Though it was a simple question, it felt a bit loaded, and would direct the rest of the conversation. She looked like she was expecting the question, but was rather hesitant to answer. "My player name was Asuna, and I was one of the… top 'clearers' of the game, I guess you could say."

As she started talking her words grew in strength and familiarity.

"When I first started the game, I had no idea how to play, and I was just fighting whatever got in my way." Seeing his face, she giggled a little

"Yeah, I was a bit of a berserker."

He quickly schooled his expression into something more serious as she continued "But up until a certain point, I fought all the time, I practically lived on the battlefield…. I almost killed myself." She finally admitted. Then saw Kikuoka's face.

"Not the way you're thinking!" She exclaimed hurriedly

"I didn't want to throw myself off the edge of the map or anything…some people did though. No, I was constantly in battle fighting. I don't think I wanted to die… I just didn't want to be there. But by the end of the game I was fighting on the front lines, fighting the bosses. We even got to the point that we didn't lose anyone in the boss battles. "She looked proud saying that. It was sad that she had to work for that, that she had to be put in that kind of situation.

"That's impressive."

A sad look crossed her face, "You don't even know how right you are. On the first battle, the very first floor. We lost so many friends, so many good people. A friend of mine," a brief reminiscent smile crossed her face,

"Became a bit of a pariah. Not even the beta testers, who were supposed to know how to play the game, how to fight the bosses- were able to do a thing. That bastard had changed the game around. He would've known that we would have tried to fight it the way the beta testers knew. But he put something in to directly counteract that knowledge. He wanted to get more people killed. He wanted to give them a challenge." Here, she looked into his eyes,

"Only this time, a loss means death." She had to shake her head, as if she was dislodging unpleasant memories.

"After that point we didn't lose any more people to boss battles. At least until that last floor. The 75th floor. We defeated it, but in the meantime we lost fourteen people."

Here they were both silent, a moment of silence for those lost.

He watched as she shook herself, and faltered in her position propped up against the pillows. He quickly got out of his chair to help her, and they both settled back into the uncomfortable silence.

"Thank you." She mumbled and then with more confidence "I believe that it's my turn now." Smile returning with a vengeance.

"What do you know about the Sword Art Online Incident as a whole?"

"We know everything that happened on the outside. The hospitals, the deaths, VRMMORPGS were on the decline. No one wanted to touch the giant mess that had been made. As it was, it was a huge problem trying to get all of the SAO victims to the hospital in the allotted time period. To find everyone, to get them help. I still don't know how many starved to death in their own homes. On the inside however," He glanced at her,

"We know relatively little. Oh sure, we know who had the highest level, jail sentences, guild leaders. Deaths. But we know nothing about how the game was cleared. Who beat the game? Why was the battle on the 75th floor rather than the last? How was living in the game? I've heard many rumors about PKers? How do you feel about the mental stability of some of the gamers in-game?"

"The former players that I had managed to talk to were all rather confused on the subjects, and the majority of the clearers were rather close-lipped on the subject. "

The look on her face was a bit smug, "I think I'll be able to help you with that… as long as you give me what you promised."

* * *

_**Asuna P.O.V.**_

* * *

Some Time Later

Through the long lasting conversation she had managed to get the information she was looking for. She had Agil, Argo, Lisbeth, Silica, and most importantly Kirito's address and phone number. She was determined that as soon as she was able to move, she was going to do her best to set up a meeting, but until then she had her family to deal with.

When the conversation had turned to Heathcliff, she hadn't been able to completely hide her incensed rage, she had had tears in her eyes that she couldn't stamp down, and she was sure that the government agent had seen something different. So her fury was hidden, and she looked like a sad little girl. Which wasn't bad in and of itself. She didn't care how people saw her, and as long as she had her friends she was good enough. And she now knew their names and phone numbers.

He had been rather surprised about her death… wanting to know about the time she had spent talking to Kayaba Akihiko and how it might be relevant to why she had been so late in returning. He theorized that being dead, but not really dead might have confused the system; Even mentioning how the section in her account hadn't had any definite 'yes' or 'no' to her death, but just a blank. He asked a few questions about Kirito, Heathcliff, and some other things that happened. Like the deaths, pking. What she thought the punishment should be etc...

What really confounded her was the news that 300 players were still comatose, and no one could figure out why.

"Hey, Sweetheart." Her father startled her out of her thoughts.

That seemed to be happening more and more these days, and she didn't miss the worried look that passed between her parents. She'd have to be more careful, she didn't want to be sent to some psychiatrist with the understanding that she'd be 'helped' and pumped full of mind numbing medication. No, she'd just be more careful.

So, instead she pasted her omnipresent smile back on her face and allowed herself to be happy in that she was safe, not fighting for her life, and was reunited with her family. Today was for reunions. Every day after was for getting Kirito back.

* * *

**~ A Muffin with a Mission**

**p.s. there is a good chance that I will rewrite this chapter later, or edit it. - Finally got around to editing it. Thank God. Still a little way from being rejoice, for it is all written out on printed copies, I just have to edit the online documents. XD**


	7. What?

I** do not own SAO, and all credit is due to Reki Kawahara.**

**Thanks for subscribing/faving/reviewing since my last chapter:**

**InvasableTarget, Jkpkmn,Madgunner75, Orihara alice,laughingspider**

**Hi everyone…. Sorry about the delay. I couldn't get into the chapter. To make it up to you guys, I tried to make it longer than usual! Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Sugou wasn't just angry. He was fuming.

Upon returning form his duties at Recto, in the Full dive division to find that somehow, a few of his scientists made a terrible, irreversible mistake.

Said employees cowered underneath the thread of his impending verbal onslaught. While Sugou towered over them, pupils dilated, cool mask thrown aside and orderly appearance torn asunder. Spittle flew from his lips as furious curses and phrases were flung at the grown men were huddled as if to protect themselves from the growing proverbial storm. He employees of the full Dive division are normally used to the 'quirks' of their boss. They both joke and warn others about his temper this was on a whole other level. Normally, all they received was an insult, he threatened them, and then they were brushed aside like leaves floating in the wind. But now. Now they were in trouble; none of those present had ever seen him so angry. He was livid.

"You fools!" He ground out, unable to hold himself still, and so he threw his arms out in front of him in exasperation, trying to control himself. "You absolute imbeciles! You incompetent buffoons! How can I expect to get anything done with people like you working under me?!"

Huffing and puffing, looking very much like the big bad wolf about to snuff out the lives of some very unfortunate human sized piglets. Just as he said that, one of the less brave men (but really, none of them were very brave) practically horizontal face nearly touching the floor in an extreme doges a pose, with his hair a faded dirt color, big gut jutting over the belt, eyes to the floor, much like the rest of them, let out a small, pathetic, whimper of absolute terror. This gave Sugou reason to pause. While amusing, it would not be good if word of this incident were to spread. Better to either make them disappear, or to make them fear for their lives and get out of the public eye.

That seemed to knock the man off of his tirade. He immediately froze, and as if realizing how unbecoming his actions made him appear, calmed, at least outwardly. Rubbing wearily at his eyes, and pinching the bridge of his nose, he took a deep breath and slowly breathed out. This in turn, made the men on the floor relax, and one even felt comfortable enough to raise his eyes from the floor. Maybe the ability to do so came not from a sudden easing in the pressure aimed at them, but in attempt to be able to act appropriately to whatever was coming of an instinct to be able to dodge what was coming at them than any kind of planned move.

His eyes were met with the burning gaze of Sugou Nobuyuki. He immediately dropped his gaze back to the floor. The entire group showed signs of anxiety. Sweat beaded on more than one of their foreheads, and drops plip plopped onto the floor, darkening the material. You could just see the gears in their heads working, trying to figure a way out of the situation with both their lives and their jobs.

But there was no way they'd get both.

Carefully removing a small cloth from his pocket, he proceeded to clean his glasses. He did it all without a single word. He let them stew in the silence, until he finished cleaning his glasses, not a speck in sight and calmly replaced his them on his nose.

"Get up." He stated. He then proceeded to stroll back and forth in front of the assembled group, shoes clacking ominously, before coming to a stop in front of them. "If I ever see any of you again, it better be at your funerals. I would recommend leaving the prefecture** (1)**.Even better" he looked straight into their eyes, one at a time, "get out of the country."

Their terrified faces were changing his mood in a positive way; he allowed himself a small smile. He looked like a snake. Sinister and cruel. Voice never changing in tone, eyes pools of smothering brown-black.

"Now, get out of my sight."

And without further prompting, they scrambled to reach the door first before the last one turned and slowly, carefully closed the door behind him as if expecting a particularly volatile explosion.

Moving to a mantle, he grabbed a glass of amber liquid, as brandy usually calmed him. This time it failed to do so.

"Aaaaaargh!" and the glass met the wall, the pieces falling like a sparkling waterfall, the liquid sliding slimily down the surface before pooling on the floor.

"Sir,"

Someone was here?! Quickly turning he found his ever present assistant standing close behind him, close to his face, Akiko Mayaba. She was a severe woman. Hair dark green, eyes a dusky black. She was dressed in a dark red suit, skirt short with a slit running up to the thigh, white shirt buttoned loosely just above the collar bone, allowing cleavage to show.

Moving forward, she moved until they were face to face. Reaching forward she grasped his glasses in her manicured hands, before straightening them on his face. "Your glasses are askew." Her lips pursed, sweet and pink in his field of view.

He barely spared a glance at her, saying, "Call someone to clean up that mess, I've got a prisoner to take care of." And strode from the room, leaving her staring at his back as he left. No one saw how her hands tightened and she gritted her teeth before she turned away from the doorway and whipped out her phone already speaking in rapid Japanese.

* * *

-Line Break—

* * *

He entered the wing of the building in which he had his full dive equipment. It was all sterile and steel. Computers glittered along the walls, with a scientist for each. It had a clinical feel. Everything but the bed in the center. It was made of materials most people could only dream of. It was beautiful and the epitome of luxury.

Sugou made his way toward it, snapping orders to the orderlies "Fulldive start up, Oberon initiative, location: Floating city." Shrugging off his shirt, which he handed to a waiting orderly before reclining into the bed. Sinking slightly in, nurses rushed forward to attach various electrodes that would monitor his health signals, heartbeat, temperature etc… "Ready?" Upon confirmation he dove in, speaking the verbal command that would start the transfer. "Link Start".

* * *

**ALfheim, the Floating City**

He appeared in his guise of Oberon, steadily walking forward as soon as he was in. Blonde hair down to his shoulders, wrapped in a cloak of forest green; clasped together with a shimmering emerald. Moss green eyes glared ahead as he walked down the cold stone hallways. The crown on his head declared his identity to those who were aware of it. He had to visit the prisoner who had taken the spot of his Titania, the one who wasn't supposed to be here. It was wrong. He was Oberon and he needed his queen, not some Fool. His men were currently keeping the individual asleep, and they had gathered information on who he was. The only way that he could conceive a possible mistake is that Titania and the other player were extremely similar in how their data was stored, they were the only two people that were even remotely similar to how player data is normally compiled. Even then, they were not in the same area as the other players in the game.

He came to the end of the hallway before coming to a door. It was made of a dark wood, standing out against the rock walls. Upon opening the door he came upon a very similar scene as the one he left behind. The only exception was that the scientists were now slugs, with large bulbous eyes and slimy tentacles.

"How are the players?" he demanded as soon as he walked through the door.

One slug stepped forward, indistinguishable from the others except for a name tag identifying him as the one in charge of the larger scale project. "Sir" he replied in a squelching voice "they are responding to the various stimuli as expected. Should we continue?"

"Hmm. Yes, continue with alpha plan, but I want you to work on that other plan that we worked on that was supposed to be used for those NPCs we were working on. There is something I might have in mind. At the very least it might be amusing."

He paused, regaining his train of thought before being distracted by the welfare of his more 'enterprising' project. "Who did we pick up?"

The slug lead the way to a screen that flickered before showing an image. It blurred a bit as it came into focus on a dark haired young man. "Player id; Kirito, name: Kirigaya Kazuto. There are a multitude of accomplishments that have been recorded by the servers, the most important of which includes defeating various opponents. He won the holiday drop, but there are no records of him ever using it."

Sugou glared at the figure, who had innocently managed to disrupt so much while appearing so unassuming. "Continue."

"Let's see." The slug whistles "He defeated Kayaba Akihiko in combat and cleared the game."

Sugou turned sharply to look at the man turned slug. "Really? Doesn't exactly look like a warrior."

"That's what the information says sir. Oh, and it seems that there is something else that you might find interesting. "Here he paused. "It seems Mr. Kirito was married."

Sugou looked at him in disbelief "How is that supposed to be of any interest to me?"

"Well, the girl he was married to went by the name… Asuna."

"My Titania?!" He whipped his head to around to glare at the figure on the screen. Without bothering to wait for a response he stomped to a door that was sunk into the surface of the wall, rendering it invisible to someone not already aware of its existence. It popped silently out and slid along the wall to reveal a doorway. An entrance into the room that had appeared on screen. Not even bothering to be quite he stalked right up to the boy before grasping his face in his hand. He turned it from side to side, noting the effeminate features, and long tapering ears and ashen eyes flickered in sleep, eyelashes fluttering. He stood there gazing at the figure, plotting,panning.

"I think I have a way to use him…" he mused turning the face aside once more. "We could use the character modification that we created for the NPC's in that quest we didn't use." He turned to look at the scientist. "We could even work on that project we created… and he makes a good hostage for my little hime-san~".

The scientist looked thoughtful before approving the plan "It would work… but you'll have to be a bit more…. manual about it." Sugou agreed, but first…. "Wake him up." He said nodding at the people behind the cameras directed at the group.

For a second, nothing happened then suddenly the muscles in his arms strained and the boy couldn't seem to find his breath. The black tipped head turned wildly trying to find someone, anything before settling on Sugou. Sugou looked into the teenager's eyes, as his forehead wrinkled in confusion and his eyes widened in fear.

"Pain absorption level: 5" he said making it so that any damage he would receive would feel like pain instead of discomfort. "And so…" He pulled out a small dagger and said aloud a stream of numbers.

"164984613216…6…5...1...2" and the more numbers he listed the brighter the glow. When he finished the dagger glowed a deep burgundy, and as he had been speaking he walked behind the player until he was directly behind him. The _poor boy's _head was turning trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on behind him, so Sugou easily put a paralysis buff on him. "You might want to stay still." He muttered gleefully, readying his blade just as the body beneath him went still. In the boys struggle to get away earlier, he had inadvertently activated his wings. The flight or fight response; perfect. In the center of the wings was the symbol that defined what race the player belonged to. On his back was the Spriggan symbol. The sleek contemporary arrow head design centered in the middle of his wings.

Sugou admired the design for a second before bringing the dagger down without any preamble. He grinned when he felt rather than heard the muffled scream underneath him. He began to carve a new symbol over the previous, overwriting by line the new symbol was created, after every slice a new glowing line appeared overwriting the previous one. He drew one that was jagged, and feral. That insinuated a monster and a beast. Who knows how long he sat there carving, ignoring any calls, just marking the once-upon-a-time hero.

The boy wasn't even screaming any more by the time he sat back to enjoy his work, idly wiping his dagger on the cloth of the boys vest. It left a stain of red. Walking around the front, he got to view the sight of the boy writhing in pain on the floor as golden tribal designs snaked across his body, across every piece of skin. When it was over, the boy had gone back to being unconscious, while the changes to his body were rather obvious. When the tribal tattoos settled on his skin it flashed from the deep gold to crimson and back, before settling on the ethereal golden hue. The eyes flashed open once, the yellowish golden glow of an animals in the dark, before the closed. His fist clenched, and he thought he saw a sparkle, but it was gone.

"If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended: That you have but here, While these visions did appear; And this weak and idle theme, No more yielding but a dream, Gentles, do not reprehend. If you pardon, we will mend."(2)

He said softly and smiled.

The boy just lay there.

* * *

**Well, I hope everyone is willing to see this through. This isn't going to be just a straight up Asuna trying to get Kirito back, just with them switching places. There are going to be some changes to some events, and some new ones. Bear with me. Thanks for reading.**

Prefectures are currently how the country is divided up. For more info.

wiki/Prefectures_of_Japan

"A Midsummer Nights Dream" by William Shakespeare.


	8. Reunion

**I do not own SAO, and all credit is due to Reki Kawahara.**

**Thanks to LiSa and Watanabe Shou for the awesome song.**

**Thanks for subscribing/faving/reviewing since my last chapter:**

**drpepperfreak00, , purpleswans, seldombites, Azaru Hiwatari, TheSilentWarden, ShockWavesSweeper, and Dragongirl2406**

**Whoa, has it really been so long since I've updated? Sorry about that. Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**Ps. sorry about jumping away from what happened last chapter and leaving you hanging. Really felt that a few things need to come first.**

**pss. I don't like how this chapter turned out and I think it could have been better. I'll make some changes in the next few days and repost it. I just felt that I should post this. If you have any good ideas on how this part could be made better, feel free to mention it.**

* * *

**Rika P.O.V**

* * *

One step in front of the other. That has been how Rika has lived her life. Whenever something difficult has come along she has kept moving forward on her own two feet. Not even being made to fight for her life could change that. She made her goals; and met them. Sure the end result could change, but ultimately she always did her best to reach the objective. She was not completely single minded however. Along the way she had made many important friends.

But now… How was she going supposed to keep moving forward when she couldn't even walk by herself? Not even 10 feet without crutches. Before, she would go out with her friends from school. They would laugh and have fun. The only thing that had tied her down was their imagination, and her wallet. Now it was different;now she felt stuck.

_That's the way her life seems to have been categorized good for her in the present.  
Before and After._

Before things were different, she was strong. She could do things by herself. She didn't have to rely on anyone.

After…. Well, she… wasn't. It hurt to admit that she needed the help of others to do what she used to do alone. Walking up the stairs needed someone to make sure she wouldn't fall, the streets and hallways required a bodyguard, someone to push the wheelchair if she couldn't walk anymore. Even during Aincrad, if she needed something there were ways that she could get whatever she needed. She needed to help others. She became a smith. She needed to make money while not on the front lines. She became the BEST smith. She could afford to rely on herself, even when she had the option to rely on others.

She had thought that after she had made it out that everything would be okay. Now, she wasn't so naïve to think that everything would immediately go back to the way things were. But at the very least she hadn't expected that everything would have moved on while she remained the same.  
Rehab was hard. She could live with that. The daily torture to be healthy again? All good. But emotionally? Coupled with her shame and inability to take care of herself? Not so good.

_I used to be strong._ She would often ponder to herself. Maybe not the strongest, like Asuna, or Kirito. But she was strong enough, and in her own way. She had people she could rely on, and people who relied on her in turn. She made the armor and weapons that would save the lives of others. They needed to be the best. She needed to be the best. She fought hard, and she did what she could to minimize the damage to the players.

Now no one needed her. Her friends were two years ahead. Some had even moved away. She hadn't tried to contact them, but she hadn't tried either. While stuck in Aincrad, it was like she was standing still and the rest of the world was still moving forward. They were moving on with their lives; her family while glad to have her returned, couldn't stop what they were doing at the drop of a hat to help her constantly. They had hospital bills to pay off, ones that weren't covered by the insurance or the government. In the time she had been gone, she had a new baby brother. Her mother couldn't afford to spend that much attention on her with an infant in the household. That and her job that she could still work at, just from home.

They were happy (to an extent), and then she came back and things got more difficult. It was like there were two young children in the house instead of one. Her mother would wake up to the wails of her dark haired, beautiful little brother, while she would wake up gasping from sword fights, and battles,and the screams of the dying. From that stupid shimmering 'ting'. But she couldn't begrudge them.  
She remembered the day she met him, right after rehab and her ready to tear the heads of the nearest person in her frustration. Lying in bed, breathing hard, arms just about ready to fall off. Her legs were about to detach and fall useless to the floor. Then her mother walked in. She had been told before hand that she had a new member of the family, but had been unable to meet him. But when her mother walked in, little Yuuji in her arms. She hadn't been able to help herself, and fell in love. His cotton candy wisps of hair, and dark staring eyes. He was as he squirmed and cried. She wanted to be able to protect that. Him. For that she would keep going.

"Mitomete ita okubyou~"

Pulled from her musings, Rika heard her phone, the ringtone "Crossing Fields" hammering out of the speakers loudly. A frown pulled its way onto her face, now she had to get the it was all the way across the room.

"Why did I leave it over there?" she whined exasperatedly. Grabbing her crutches that were leaning against the side of the chair, grumbling she rose to her feet. Leaving her _lovely, comfy seat. _To stagger over to her flip phone –It took forever. Just as she flipped open the silvery phone, she heard the doorbell chime downstairs. There was no way she would be able to get that when it took her forever to go to the other side of the room! Therefore she did what most teenagers did best.

"Kaa-san! Door!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, voice reverberating throughout the living room before returning her attention to the couldn't hold back the grin at her mothers acerbic confirmation echoed in her ears.

"Fine!"  
_Huh. Whoever it was left a message._

She didn't recognize the number. Calling her voicemail she listened, eyes growing impossibly wider as seconds passed. "Hi, Lisbeth..." could be barely heard from the speakers.

_She couldn't believe it. How did she find her? Not that she wasn't glad, but God. It was good to hear from her. _A weight was lifted off her shoulders.  
_So they were alive. They made it out.  
_She was still staring at her phone when her mom called,

"Rika! Friends from school are here to see you!"Rika smiled. Or more accurately, she full out grinned. Wiping away the tears that she hadn't even noticed had been pouring from her eyes she straightened herself out._Hair was in place, no tears, and her clothes werent wrinkled._Snapping the phone shut at with an audible 'click' she moved to the doorway,crutches in hand yelling,

"Hey Kaa-san! Do you know a place called the Dicey Café?!"

Screw Before and After. She had more in her life than ever.

* * *

**Asuna P.O.V.**

* * *

Standing outside the Dicey Café, Asuna found it easy to doubt the reputation of the establishment. Before even calling Agil, she had managed to find a review website so she could see how it was. Though she trusted him, her mother wouldn't, especially someone she had never met and she had to get proof to be allowed to be dropped off nearby. The reviews generally said something like "It looks sketchy on the outside, but it's actually very nice."

The exterior was kind of intimidating. She had gotten express permission from Agil to contact their friends from S.A.O. to meet up, but... to the left and right of the restaurant were walls covered in graffiti. The outside of the shop itself was home to several posters extolling the virtues of different events. She struggled forward, her body guard (her mother wouldn't let her go, as weak as she still was, without some kind of supervision) l staying quietly by her shoulder as she struggled to open the door.

_Is this reinforced or something?! With steel?!_

It was made of a light wood, but it felt so heavy, and she had so much trouble. It infuriated her. With one last go, she managed to throw the door wide open and stumble over the entryway (unknown to her, the bodyguard had helped a bit.) And her eyes went wide.

There was something whole-hearted about the interior. It existed in almost complete opposite of what she had expected based on what she had already seen. Warm wood lined the walls. The bar was fully stocked, glass bottles in a range of glittering colors littered the back wall, liqueur and various alcohols put up for display. Comfortable red leather barstools were leisurely spaced along the bar. A small blonde woman stood behind it, delicate features visible, calmly polishing a glasses. Smooth, dark tables were spattered across the room.

What first drew her attention though was the two people sitting at the bar. One was a large man, thin but lightly muscled. He was tall, with dark skin, a slight beard and a shaved head. In her opinion he resembled a bear. The other seated next to him, was laughing jovially to whatever it was he said, with spiked light brown hair and a fierce face. He looked like a thug. His eyes though, were the opposite, and on his head rested his trademark bandanna. The red and pale yellow cloth streaking across his forehead. She stood there for a few minutes silently gawking, before she left her bodyguard behind and stepped forward. Gathering her courage she called "Agil-san! Klein-san!"

Startled they turned around eyes widening before a wide grin broke across each of their faces. Though she knew their actual names, (Andrew Gilbert Mills and Tsuboi Ryoutarou respectively) it was just easier to call them by their player ids.

"Asuna" Agil said in way of greeting, while Klein leaned forward as much as possible, shouting "Ah! It's Asuna-chan ~ 3, how are you?"

She smiled demurely at his forwardness, hand waving in no general direction. "As much as can be expected, I would think? Has anyone else gotten here yet?" glancing around to see if maybe someone was hiding in the shadows of the bar. Suddenly jolting her out of her inspection a voice came-from right behind her.

"Aa-chan, it's good to see you-de arou."

Startled, she spun around only to be faced with a pretty woman. Her hair was cut close to her face and her eyes were a startling emerald. Her hair was a dark honey color, and she was wearing a tight fitting suit, that showed off her ample…assets.

It seems that Argo wasn't exactly what they were expecting either, so Asuna wasn't the only one thrown off kilter. It seems that SAO Argo was completely different than R.L. Argo. Klein upon noticing the beautiful busty woman before him, was quick to flirt. "Hey, Agil, get this pretty lady a drink. It's on me." He said with a grin in her direction. Argo did nothing but shoot an amused glance in his direction, before collecting the drink thrust in her direction, not by Agil, but the small blonde woman at the counter. Leaning back luxuriously in a chair situated nearby the already existing group, she blinked slowly and out of her mouth came "Aa-chan, Klein, Agil," and with a knowing smile thrown in the direction of the blonde woman "Agil's wife."

The blonde woman finished cleaning another glass and glanced in her direction, Asuna wasn't surprised, and she knew that Agils wife was in charge of the bar in his absence. Klein however, was incensed. "Agil! How did you get such a pretty lady like her, when you look like that?!" He jabbed his finger, alternating between the wife and Agil. Agil looked at him, as if he was talking to a simpleton, and then with a warm smile directed towards his wife "It must have been through the will of the gods that I was blessed with such a beautiful wife." And with that cheesy, yet romantic line he leaned forward and placed a dainty peck on his wife's cheek. Her face remained stoic but for the slight tint to her cheeks.

The door tinged open, drawing the attention to the newest guests, a young girl with pig tails and bright innocent eyes, and an older girl with short brown hair and warm chocolate eyes. The girl with a single glance recognized the faces before, but the one that made her the most excited was of "The Flash"

"ASUNA!" she screamed and managed a leap that threw her into the arms of her best friend for the last two years. "Lisbeth" Asuna whispered back, tears beading in her eyes.

"I thought that I would never see you again" came muttered then, louder "I was worried that you didn't make it out." came as a half just reminded her of another person important to her that she hadn't gotten to meet yet. She could be patient though. He wouldn't not show up. He couldn't.

Asuna swallowed back the growing lump in her throat and just held her friend as tight as she could, hoping that this hug could last forever. But it ended soon enough, (the silence was actually getting a bit awkward) and Lisbeth stepped back, taking a seat in the group. Asuna joined her, sitting close arms hooked together in companionship.

Klein stood in front of the group, clearing his throat "Ahhmmm- Okay then! We seem to be waiting on one more person, but since I bet we have to take into account how far he might live from here, we'll have to give him the benefit of the doubt, as that idiot would rather never not come." A few snickers came at that part, mostly from around Argos seat, but he ignored it, other than a quick half-hearted glare. "Now, I'd like to thank Asuna-chan, as she was the one who was responsible for bringing us all back together for this little gathering of ours. I don't know how she got the information, but I'm glad she did." he smiled at everyone in the group "Now, let's get this SAO. RELEASE. PARTY. STAR-"

And then the door opened the bell resounding, and inside came a woman, about middle age, long black hair tied up in loose twist, and a simple dress and jacket on walked in. She held her arms loosely against her chest, but it didnt seem to be out of any feeling of insecurity, but more likely due to the chilly temperatures outside. "Ano, is the party for the SAO players?"

* * *

**Hi everyone! Thanks for reading, tell me what you think. 3**

**Edited**


	9. The past

**WOAH! Guys, thanks for all of the follows!**

**Thanks for subscribing/faving/reviewing since my last chapter:**

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**I do not own SAO, and all credit is due to Reki Kawahara.**

* * *

When Midori Kazehaya had entered the house she shared with her husband, daughter, and nephew, she hadn't expected to arrive just in time for the phone to ring. She stood there, silently, gazing at the ringing phone, bag loosely hanging from her hand.

She didn't bother to hide her anxiety, no one was here to see it. Her daughter was at kendo practice; her husband was at work. Every, single, time that the phone rang she was afraid. Afraid that this would be the call that would send her family into a spiral of depression. Afraid that this would be the call that would break their hearts.

It was times like this, when she was alone, that she could feel the sadness creeping in on her. She missed Kazuto. Everyone in her family did and even though they had grown a bit farther apart over recent years, their feelings towards one another had managed to weather the storm.

But standing here wasn't accomplishing anything. It might even be good news.

_I can't be afraid of everything that life throws at me. I need to keep going._

She walked up and answered the phone…

* * *

**Midori POV**

* * *

The call hadn't been announcing the death of her beloved nephew. It also hadn't been one announcing his awakening. It seems that they were going to continue to be stuck in this exhausting state of limbo. She couldn't keep bouncing to hope and back. It was too tiring.

The person on the phone wasn't from the hospital. It wasn't a telemarketer. It was a girl. She had claimed to know Kazuto, even though she messed up sometimes and called him Kirito. Her voice had been mellow and sweet, and her voice undoubtedly carried a hint of underlying steel.

The girl, Yuuki Asuna-san, said that she wanted to know if Kazuto could come meet up with some of the other players from SAO. This meant that she didn't know that Kirito hadn't woken up yet. While, she felt that Yuuki-san was being truthful in her intentions towards her nephew, she didn't know what to think about the other members of the group. So she refrained from mentioning the condition of Kazuto over the phone. But Yuuki-san seemed well-intentioned, and if Kazuto was really friends with her, it might do him some good to have visitors other than family.

If they couldn't be trusted, they weren't going to get anywhere near Kazuto. She had sworn to protect him to the best of her abilities, on the night of her sister's death. She could remember the night exactly…

* * *

_**-2009, The Kirigaya Household-**_

* * *

She and her family had been celebrating the good news of her own pregnancy. The very fact that her sister and husband had traveled from where they lived in a neighboring prefecture. Her parents and in-laws were coming as well. It was just for a few days to celebrate. Her parents were the first to show up, and then her in-laws, they all showed up and were prepared to have a good time. But as hours passed, it became apparent that three very important people were missing.

"Midori-chan!" she jerked a bit, scared out of her thoughts by a voice. She started to fall, only to be caught by her ever watchful husband (he really was a worrywart).Eyes wide, she breathlessly rebuked her mother, "Okaa-san. Really, please don't scare me like that!"

Kuroki Hanako carried herself well, happy and content. Even after the death of her beloved husband, she didn't let anything get her down. She had aged gracefully from a beautiful youth into a still striking older woman. She had plenty of gentleman callers, and was veritably popular in the middle aged to elder community. "I just checked my phone, and it turns out that I have a message from your sister, Shouhei. She mentioned that they were going to head out around ten this morning."

Midori turned glanced at her watch. It was nearing four. Her mother saw this and her faced took on a slightly worried look. "They should have been here by now."

Not wanting her mother to be upset, and a little worried herself she tried to justify their absence, "I'm sure that they are just running a little late. They could have run out of gas, or maybe something could have come up with work." To her, the excuses seemed feeble to her ears, but they seemed to be working on her mother.

Her mother shook her head exasperatedly, "Mou, those two, they should have called if they were going to be late…" saying this, she turned and walked back to the group. Midori was left alone in the hallway, trying to quiet her own worried thoughts. "Midori! C'mon!

Dinner had been great, and they played many games together. They had been so happy. When they had announced their coming child, her family had celebrated, with the occasional wolf whistle, or bawdy joke aimed at Minetaka.

The only problem was Shouhei, Mitsuko, and never showed up. At the time, no one was worried; they just assumed that something came up. They never suspected the truth. It was only the next day that they got the call.

The family had all been crowded in the kitchen, eating toast, miso soup and some tamagoyaki when the phone rang. She had had to remove herself from the table and navigate the crowded kitchen, dodging an errant elbow; squeeze past an improperly positioned chair. Her mother giggled at her, not bothering to help. She reached the phone and picked it up, only to silence it by putting it against her shoulder and turning to glare at her now cowed guests. They immediately turned back to their food. When Midori was irritated, she meant business.

She returned the phone to its place and heard a tired man's voice on the other line.

"Hello, is this the Kirigaya residence?"

She didn't recognize him. "Yes. May I ask who's calling?"

"This is # #$*%$ from Saitama Red Cross Hospital. Are you related to one Tsukino Shouhei, and one Tsukino Mitsuko?"

_What?_

"What?! They are in the hospital?! Are they okay?! Please tell me they're alright!"

_They have to be okay. They have to._

"Ma'am. Please calm down. I am sorry to say, yesterday, there was a pile up on the Nagoya Expressway. This crash involved five other cars. A drunk driver had swerved on the highway into other lanes, and they and the other three other cars were unable to avoid it. There have been four casualties, as of this morning."

"What about them, please!"

She could hear an audible breath on the other line before, "I am sorry to say that Tsukino Shouhei died on scene, and Tsukino Mitsuko made it to the hospital, but died later in surgery. I am sorry for your loss."

She couldn't take it. She dropped the phone. Everyone at the table had been paying close attention to her after her cries into the phone. Her husband dropped what he was doing, and raced over to her. He picked up the phone and listened. His only words were, "What about my nephew?", and 'I see.". He hung up.

She could see that her family understood the reasons for her devastation. The only word they needed to hear was 'hospital' and to see her reaction. She pulled herself up using a nearby table edge. She wavered a bit, and her legs felt like jelly but she stood on her own. They had to hear it. Nothing else could make it real.

"Okaa-san, Tou-san.. Minna-san… yesterday, there was an accident… and Oniisan and Oneesan…. died." It was hard to keep going. Every other word faltered, and she had so much trouble saying it out loud. She had to acknowledge it, because even if she didn't, it still had happened.

There it was. No going back now. They were gone, and they weren't coming back.

Silence reigned. And one by one, everyone in the room succumbed to tears. Her mother could be heard muttering "Ohhhhh… my daughter, my son..." or "My beautiful baby girl…"

Her mother had stared bleakly at the ceiling, "A mother should never outlive her children."

That day the world lost two precious people. Shouhei and Mitsuko Tsukino were kind. They helped others to the best of their abilities, and they absolutely adored their son Kazuto. And then they were gone. All because of one man who decided to drive while drunk. He died in that accident, but it didn't make anything right. There was nothing that could take back what he had stolen.

Kirito soon joined their little family. He had been left with some family friends, because they didn't want to take him somewhere with a cold. It took about a week for the adoption papers to be signed. His family name was changed to Kirigaya.

The wake and funerals were held.

One of the only happy occasions was when Suguha Kirigaya came into the world a few months after the accident. It gave everyone a reason to be happy again, to celebrate. She was a year younger than Kazuto, and we hoped that he would be like a big brother to her. She adored him, even as an infant and though young himself, he doted on her.

Time passed. Kazuto started learning Kendo under Otou-san (Minetaka's father). A year later Sugu joined. Then Kazuto started learning about computers, and quit. Not too long after that, he found out he was adopted. Apparently he had managed to find a copy of his birth records in the national registry. He started pulling further and further away from us.

* * *

_**-Present day-**_

* * *

Then Sword Art Online happened. She couldn't protect him from it. There was nothing she could do. She could only visit him, talk to him, hope for him.

But still, she wouldn't give her family up for anything. Every single moment of joy, amusement, sorrow, anger, and exasperation in between. It was worth it. For him, for Sugu, for her family. She would do whatever she could to protect her children.

The phone call definitely wasn't what she had expected. It was from a girl, her name was… Yuuki Asuna-san. She claimed to have been friends with Kazuto from SAO. Several times during the conversation, she slipped up and called her son 'Kirito'. She could only assume that was what he was called during the game. But Yuuki-san wanted to meet her son. Her son which was currently unconscious in the hospital. She believed that the girl's intentions were sincere, but she could not say the same for the others in their group. She wouldn't be able to say if her son would be safe. The only way to do that would be to meet them in person and to ascertain their wishes towards Kazuto.

She knew her son was fighting his own battles. She would just have to protect him since he couldn't protect himself.

"Sugu! We're going out!"

"Kaa-san?!"

"We're going to meet a few friends of your brothers."

* * *

**Dicey Cafe**

* * *

"Um, is the party for the SAO players?"

Asuna was unsure, but she thought she had heard that voice before…when she had called Kirito's house.

"Ano… Kirigaya-san?"

Kirigaya Midori noticed Asuna saying her name, and smiled, "Asuna Yuuki-san?" she asked for verification.

"Hai, but you can just call me Asuna."

"Well, then you can call me Midori."

"Oh, no, I couldn't-"

"I insist" she interrupted smiling scarily. Klien gulped in the background.

"-but it's nice to meet you Midori-san."

Her face softened.

Asuna could see how Kirito was related to her. They looked very similar, with the same kind of dark eyes that could be intimidating, but also kind. But as she watched Kiriga-Midori-san notice the variety of assembled characters she could see she was at a loss. Taking the reins she said "Midori-san," and her sharp gaze flickered to her. She pointed at Klein

"This is Klien-" "Tsuboi Ryoutarou"

"Argo" (she didn't volunteer her real name), "over there is Silica" "Ayano Keiko"

"Lisbeth," "Shinozaki Rika"

"And Agil" "Andrew Gilbert Mills"

At this point everyone had introduced themselves, and Midori seemed to come to a decision. "Okay. Kazuto is my son." Some looked confused at the name, and she seemed confused as well for a second. Then her gaze fell on Asuna and she coughed and said "Kirito", the confusion cleared. "This" she said thrusting her arm out the open doorway behind her and dragging a shape in. "is my daughter, Suguha."

Said girl looked embarrassed, but stood tall. Her hair was short and she dressed simply, but she was undeniably cute. The only sign of her anxiety was the way she kept fingering her shirt, as if trying to fix some non-existent wrinkles. Asuna ignored this, she was nervous as well. She put on her brightest smile and "Hajime mashite, Suguha-san. I've heard a lot about you from Kirito-kun, ano, I mean Kazuto-kun." She received a radiant smile in return.

"Now," Midori-san continued "Kazuto is unable to be here tonight" she looked at the array of concerned faces. "He is still in the hospital." She continued, only to be caught in a flurry of "Is he okay?", "When does he get out?", "Umm... is there any way we can visit him?", "Why isn't he out yet?"

"Umm…"came quietly from behind the target of their badgering, "He hasn't woken up yet."

Silence.

Midori sighed. "I wanted to make sure that none of you were actually those PKers I heard about on the news." She looked apologetically at Asuna. "That's why I didn't tell you over the phone, so I apologize." She bowed at them. "At the same time, if you were actually all friends of my son, I didn't want to break it to youover the phone. Friends of Kazuto's deserve better than that."

Her eyes hardened, and her voice resonated sharply among them." While I'm sure all of you are good people, I still don't trust you. I won't bring more people than I think I can handle near my son. Besides, even if I wanted to, the hospital limits the number of visitors. Decide who wants to come. The limit is two visitors. One of them will be me." She turned to walk out the door, but hesitated on the precipice.

She spun to face them, and bowed low. As she stood she said, "Thank you for being friends with my son." She walked out and didn't look back.

They were in shock. No one had expected the news that Kirito had yet to wake up. It seemed impossible. What with Asuna being up and about. He couldn't not wake up. He was Kirito, the black swordsman, he never lost. No way. "Uso."

Not a moment later Lisbeth looked up, and said determinedly "Asuna should go see him."

Everyone turned to her shocked. Lisbeth looked annoyed at that. "What?! It makes sense doesn't it?! She's his wife, they love each other. He would want to see her." The last part had trailed off a bit, losing strength but no one else seemed to notice.

Klien opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by Agil. He had his arm around his beloved wife, and said "Yeah, Asuna should go."

"But I shouldn't be the only one-"

Klien seemed to have taken the hint and said quietly, "Asuna-chan. Just... go and check him out for us all right?"

She glanced all around her, taking note of the expressions on their faces, and walked out the door to find Midori-san and Suguha-chan.

* * *

**Sorry if it gets confusing in some of the parts with the okaa-san and otou-san, or the onii-san and onee-san. Midori's father is dead, but you can also call in-laws as actual brothers and sisters. Minetake's father is the one with the dojo.**

**I hope that the names that I chose for Kirito's parents are all right. Their surname, Tsukino, means 'moon field'.**

**I really didn't want to stop there, but it was just taking forever to write. I feel really guilty about taking so long to post this. Sorry everyone.**

**I was really surprised at all the follows I got! I mean, wow! Thanks!**

**The next chapter shouldn't be up in too long. I have a job interview this week that is really worrying me. But if I get the job, I should have less time to write, and college is starting up soon. Thanks for bearing with me.**

**ps.- If you see any glaring errors, feel free to tell me. No, PLEASE tell me. Thanks for the help.**

**Have a nice day! :D**


	10. Oh No She Didn't

**Sorry everyone for taking so long to get a chapter out. I know that when I like something, I don't want to wait forever for the next chapter is out. I admire all of those people who manage to update constantly even with an incredibly busy schedule. I'm not at that point yet, but college will be starting soon and by the end of the month I will be working a lot to prepare.**

**That wasn't the only reason for the lack of an update. I am not that happy with what I have so far, and I was seriously deliberating whether I should just stop and start over, or if I should continue and fix it at the end? Or if I should just fix it now and keep going. Frankly, I hate having to read something over and over, and when I don't like how something is written that is just what I end up doing. So I know I'll have to do it.**

**But, I am still very surprised that I made it to over 60 followers. I mean, it's just the best to know that people are interested in what you have written.**

**I'm kind of freaking out about how the original timeline went, and I am trying to keep as much to it as possible, but I think I made some mistakes earlier on, so I might have to edit it . Ugh.**

**Thanks to everyone who subscribed, reviewed or favorited! 3:**

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**Kanrei – That really made me glad that you enjoyed the chapter!**

**I do not own SAO, and all credit is due to Reki Kawahara.**

* * *

**Asuna POV**

* * *

Asuna sat in the car, hands gripping nervously at the expensive leather seats. She couldn't contain her strange combination of excitement and anxiety controlled. She was doing her best, but she could definitely see that her mother was suspicious. It was weird, that she would be this excited to see anyone, even if they were good friends from a game, even a death game.

Glancing up at her mother's face from where she had been staring at her hands steadfastly in an attempt to ignore her mother's attentive stare. She wasn't fooling anyone. Her mother could tell, and judging by the slightly concerned and disapproving stare that she was attracting, her mother thought that she was up to something that she wouldn't approve of, even if she didn't know what. After all, she could tell from her Asuna's nervousness.

Taking a breath, she calmed her shaking hands. It was quickly followed by a dejected sigh. She hadn't wanted her mother to come. She had tried to worm her way out of it, but she just couldn't get her to stay home. Or to go to work. While she would normally be touched by the fact that her previously cold mother wanted to spend time with her, at the moment it was a bit of an inconvenience. Frankly, the day she met Kirito's mother (or rather his aunt, but she might as well have been his mother), she had tried to get her to take her right then. But-

_One Month Earlier_

"No."

"Huh?"

"I might have said that whoever it was would be able to visit my son, but you have to worry about yourself as well."

Asuna shot her a disgruntled and confused look. Midori sighed and waved a hand in her direction; "Look at yourself. You can barely stand. How far have you gotten in rehabilitation?"

"…Only… a week or so…" she mumbled while pushing her fingertips together abashedly. Midori-san looked a little surprised at this.

"Shouldn't you have had at least two weeks already?

Asuna stared resolutely at the floor and said quietly, "I only woke up a week ago. But I wanted to make sure everyone was alright…"

At this, the dark haired woman's eyes softened, and bending slightly forward she put a hand to Asuna's shoulder. Legs trembling she tried to keep standing at even this light pressure.

"Asuna-san, you have to take care of yourself first. I am sure that everyone else inside would agree with me. You should've waited until you were healthier. You can't do what you set out to accomplish unless you are the best you can be. And if what the doctors are saying is true," she looked sadder at this,

"Kazuto won't be going anywhere for a while. Besides," here she throws out a lopsided smile, "if your mother is anything like me, she won't take kindly to the fact that her daughter is out gallivanting around shady parts of town when she should be resting and gaining strength."

Asuna braced herself against a nearby wall, and looked the woman opposite her straight in the eyes, gaze hard. "I have to see him. I need to know that he is still alive. I'm terribly afraid that he'll die and then I won't be able to see him anymore. I promised him… I promised him that we would see each other in real life. I won't break that promise. I promised…" at this point she was aware tears were starting to fall, her in an alley way, in front of someone that she wanted to impress. Her hands scrabbled desperately at her eyes, trying to catch the tears before they fell. She must look a mess.

Suddenly a hand had come out of nowhere and grabbed her arm. Obsidian eyes stared back at her, and she was suddenly engulfed in a hug. Surprised, Asuna could only stand there stiffly, but when the hug showed no sign of abating, she tentatively wrapped her arms around the other woman. The hug was nice. It was soft, and it was warm. As soon as it started, it was over and Midori-san backed up. She found herself wishing that it could continue.

"Better?" And at Asuna's sound of confirmation, she went on briskly, in contrasting nature to her actions a minute before; "Alright. Here is what is going to happen. As soon as your doctor says it's alright, that's when you are allowed to come see my son. You need your parents' permission. Understand?"

Tears drying she made sure to nod her head to show that she understood.

"_Do you understand?"_

"Y-yes."

"Good. I know that if I didn't set guidelines, you'd be calling me the next day. Since you're one of Kazuto's precious friends, he wouldn't want you to push yourself too hard and hurt yourself." She paused, and giggled a bit. "Ha-ha, but he would've been doing the same thing if he could. He's way too stubborn. "she said fondly.

"Now go home. It's getting late. You wouldn't want your family to be worried about you, would you?"

Asuna looked at the floor, a slight blush staining her cheeks.

Turning away, she called out, "Sugu! C'mon, let's go home."

Asuna started, she had completely forgot that the girl was here, and after hurriedly glancing around she spotted her sitting against a nearby wall, passed out. With no sympathy Midori-san walked up to her and drug her to feet.

"Munya?" came from Suguha-san as she was dragged along behind.

* * *

**-Present day-**

"Ojou-sama, Yuuki-dono, we're here."

Asuna peeked nervously out the window at the hospital.

* * *

**Alfheim**

* * *

In the dark shadows of the dungeon, pained breath clouded in the air, and shadowy eyes blinked open. They were murky, unfocused as tendrils of gold snaked in around the edges. Sharp stabs of pain came staked him in the heart, the back, everywhere.

He couldn't focus on anything, every time he came close it just faded away into the background. Some parts of the room were too dark to see, and others were incredibly clear, as if a spot light was being shined only on specific parts of the room. He could taste the mildewed air on the back of his tongue. He could hear the echoes of water droplets making contact with puddles spread out around the room. He could feel the chill seeping through his skin to the bones.

Ignoring the pain, he reached for something that was just out of the edge of his vision. He could just see it, something coming off his back. Something that matched the unusual weight that wasn't there before. He couldn't reach it, and he would manage to sit up and grab at it, only to drunkenly fall over. He couldn't help it, and he let out an uncharacteristic giggle.

It didn't bother him that much though. Everything felt kind of dull and far away. A flash of color in the otherwise monotonous room caught his eye. Something was up with his arm, something… different.

On the back of his hand, trailing from the tips of his fingers and trailing up his arms gold streaked. A dull gold, shining metallically in the darkness as if by its own luminescence. He held it close to his face, before pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. As if he was trying to squish them into his skull, to help make the world make sense. What happened?

Behind him, the door opened and

"Well, how are we doing today?" came a gurgly voice.

It was the last thing he heard before he heard the sounds of chains being unlocked and he found himself unable to move.

* * *

**The Present**

Now here she was. Sitting at the bedside of the boy she loved. She had strove to ignore the eyes of the two women on her. One a contemplative and slightly amused black, and the other a strict and unyielding hazel.

* * *

**Midori Kirigaya POV.**

She sat there, watching as the brunette softly stroked her son's cheek. How she brushed his hair out of his eyes, gently and with so much care. She talked to him, telling about people Midori didn't know, or about places she never has or will see. She noticed the way her eyes shined, and how they glimmered with unshed tears.

It was obvious that she cared deeply for Kazuto. More than she could ever say.

She turned her gaze to the woman beside her, dressed in business attire. She too was watching her daughter. Her gaze cool stone. She was obviously seeing the affection her daughter directed towards Kazuto.

The woman opposite finally turned and met her gaze. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she raised her hand to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Yuuki, Kyouko." Her voice was as cool as her stone eyes.

So it was going to be like that, huh?

"It is nice to meet you too, Kyouko-san" She spoke coldly as well. Ahaa~ she could see a twitch at the eye. It seems she resented the informality. Oh, this might be fun.

"Well, yes. It seems that your son was a friend of my daughter."

A friend, huh? Definitely more than that.

"It seems so. It's nice that they made such nice friends, isn't it?"

Kyouko (she was definitely going to call her that in her head) seemed frustrated. "..Yes. But I don't want my daughter to associate with people who played that… that... _game._" The way she said the word game made it clear what she thought of the whole thing.

She continued, unaware of or ignoring Midori's growing irritation. "I want my daughter to get past this. I want her to focus on her education, on marriage."

She glanced at the unconscious Kazuto, "Marriage with someone who would….be better for my daughter." she finished.

Oh no she didn't. "What are you _implying_?"

For a second, she looked a little chagrinned but then she followed up that _wonderful _sentence with another. "I want my daughter to marry someone with affluence, with a future. I want her to have everything she could ever have in life… and I don't think your son could do that for her. I have to nip this in the bud." She turned to stare intently at her daughter, who hadn't moved from the start of the conversation. "As it is, she's already half-way in love with the boy."

Midori full-out glared at her. "You don't think my son is good enough for your daughter?! What if I think your daughter isn't good enough for my son. He is determined, intelligent, _caring_. He already has more than what _you_ have shown yourself capable of."

_Kyouko-chan_ stared at her a second, seemingly impressed by this outburst, but determined not to show it. Then suddenly she sighed and said two words; "I'm sorry."

This surprised her, and she wore it on her face. She didn't think that Kyouko-chan would be the type to apologize first. Or even at all for that matter.

"I didn't intend to insult your son. I just don't want him for my daughter. I'm sure he is a nice enough young man. I don't want my daughter to make any mistakes. I don't want my daughter to fight to be happy. I had to fight with all of my power, just to get to where I am today. I want her to never struggle. I want her to find happiness that I never could. And I don't think your son can give her that."

She said this and the most heartbreaking expression flashed across her normally stone cold face. But Midori blinked and it was gone, leaving her to wonder if it was ever there in the first place. Midori looked straight into her eyes, "I'm not saying that I think that your daughter is a match for my son. And I already know what you think. But for one second, forget about all of that. Look at her. Really look." She turned and looked back at her son. And his … lover? Girlfriend? She didn't know. "And tell me if that is only half-way in love."

* * *

Edited a bit. I think I have an addiction to Line Breaks.

**Okay. I was going to keep going. And I feel really bad about not updating in so long, but it was really hard to write most of this. I didn't even get to the part I wanted to today. It shouldn't take forever though, maybe I will even get a start on it tomorrow. But just know, that this chapter took several days to get right. (Weird, I know, because it's not very long.)**

**Okay, explanation time.**

**The reason its one month later after the last conversation between them is because in the actual timeline, ALO doesn't actually start until about two months after SAO ended. And to me, that makes sense. Their bodies are practically unable to move due the atrophy of their muscles. It would take a while just to get their basic physical capabilities back. I am kind of steamed about how close I made the meet up and Asuna's awakening date, as it is really hard to imagine that she is back to normal in such a short period of time. **

**My timeline is a little messed up, and at some point (as addressed in the very first part) I am going to have to fix it. So if you, or anyone else, notice that some things have been changed, it is because I got mad and changed some things up. I may even re-edit some of the chapters because overall, half the time I am mad at what I put out.**

**Overall though, thanks for reading! I REALLY APPRECIATE THE INTEREST! I LOVE YOU GUYS. **

**Review.**

**Later,**

**~ A Muffin with a Mission**


	11. Freedom?

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**Kyrito: Ano means something else entirely if you mean in Spanish. If you mean ano with the ~, that means year in Spanish. In Japanese, Ano means umm. They even mentioned it in my textbook.**

**Alright, that should be good. Enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

* * *

Asuna gasped, jerking her hand back as if she had been shocked. She had been quietly sitting there, whispering promises into her lover's ear when his hand had squeezed hers weakly. And she did something terrible. She panicked. She panicked at the thought that her Kirito was waking up. That maybe that meant he was dying. None of the others had woken up yet, wouldn't that mean that if you woke up now something terrible had happened? But that was silly. Waking up could only mean something good had happened.

But in her initial panic she had accidentally knocked over the chair that she had been sitting in, and that had drawn the attention of the now quiet parents. But she ignored their surprised exclamations and focused her attention on Kirito.

His pale hand grasped weakly at the bed sheets, and his face was twisted up in pain. His breathes were harsh like each one was a gasp. She rushed forward and grabbed his hand, pulling it up to her face.

"Kirito, it's alright. You'll be okay. I'm here." She whispered soothingly as she reached down to brush her hands across his cheeks.

"You be strong for me alright? I'll find a way to help you if it's the last thing I do."

She barely noticed the single tear tracing its way down her face, as she focused on Kirito. Then she noticed something unexpected, his lips were pursed as if he was trying to speak, leaning forward so her hair just brushed his cheeks she heard it.

"Someone… anyone..." it was muted, quiet. But it was there. This was the last straw. "Kirito?! Can you hear me? _Please, if you can hear me, just please tell me if you are alright._" For a second it was silent, save for the surprised questions from the parents behind her, and the panicked beeping of a heart monitor next to the bed. She could barely hear them "Asuna, what's going on?" and "Asuna! Stop acting inappropriately right this minute young lady!" But it was ignored.

"Kirito, it's me Asuna! I'm here!"

"…..Asuna...are... You…al…t?"

"Kirito?!" she whispered fervently. But there was no reply. He was silent.

* * *

**ALO**

* * *

He couldn't see anything. What was wrong?

As he gradually became aware of his body he realized that something was off. He could barely move, every single limb was stiff. When he tried to move them, they were unhindered, and there was no jingle of the usual chain that held them to the floor or wall. Why wasn't he chained up? They wouldn't be so stupid as to let him roam free would they?

Moving an arm he grimaced. Ugh. He could feel every single wound that he had been subjected to over the past couple weeks. There were the ones that had healed, or hadn't permanently stayed due to the fact that there is a time limit on most of the "Life threatening" injuries, like when he lost his arm. Thankfully, whenever they removed a body part, they were nice enough to give him a healing potion. Even though the _**Bleeding**_Status effect wore off, he'd still be stuck with _**Missing Limb**_. That required seeing a healer or a high tier health crystal. And then there were the small scratches and burns that weren't inherently deadly, but made moving a living hell.

He paused; was there even a program for that? He shook his head. Then he grimaced again. It seemed like there was nothing Kayaba Akihito couldn't do, but shaking his head was a bad idea. There was a migraine the size of a boss mob in there.

He pushed himself up until he sat back against the wall. Sighing he rested his aching head upon it, welcoming the chill that permeated the moist brick.

First things first. Status check. His head hurt, but otherwise that was fine. His arms were covered in nicks and scratches, his legs were the same. But they could move, he could walk. He had nothing but the rags he was wearing. What kind of clothes were these anyway? His vest was somehow still moderately unbloodied, but the bandages across his torso were not so immaculate, from an off-white color to a rusty stained brown. But… that wasn't really something that he wanted to focus on.

Okay, there was still an ache in his back, right where those stupid wings were. He didn't know how he got them. He just woke up a week or two ago, and suddenly they were there. They were kind of heavy, not what you expected when you looked at them. Not that he could get a very good look, with them being on his back and all.

Then there were the various tattoos that were scattered down his arms. He thought that they looked rather cool. On a game character. One who wasn't him. He didn't like how they were put on him without his permission. If he ever got out of this, people would think he is a delinquent. Or someone with weird tendencies.

That wasn't the immediate problem though. He needed to escape, or he needed to get word to someone so that they could help him. The security was tight and the only time he had seen anyone else had been the various scientists who would come and go (there were only two humans) and the many slug like creatures that infested this dreary place.

He had nothing but the clothes on his back… and he stiffened. He could hear footsteps echoing from earlier down the hallway. As they got closer he noticed that he could feel the movements in the air as the door swished open.

A young woman walked in. It was an actual person, rather than a slug-creature. He could only look at her from his seat near the wall. He didn't bother to move, whatever she wanted he would have to deal with.

She walked slowly forward, skirt ending high at her thighs with a slight slit. She was dressed in rather… skimpy attire. At least by real world standards, but it was about average in accordance with video game attire. But he tried not to focus on that, but it was rather embarrassing on his part.

She didn't speak. Silent and she slinked forward until he was flush against the wall and she was right in his face. Her eyes glowed in the dim lighting and her face showed no emotion. But then a sly smile creeped its way across.

"So…. You are the key to his 'happiness', huh?" She leaned forward and grabbed his chin in her forefingers before forcing his head from side to side.

"Not bad… but not really my type." She stared at him, contemplating before she glanced around the cell before turning back to him and tilting her head to the side.

"Not to mention I've never had a thing for little boys." And she giggled. _What?_

"What the heck?"

"Do you want out of here?"

And he couldn't help but stare at her in utter confusion. She was the first person in this god-forsaken place that had looked him in the eye when she spoke to him. That gained her a bit of respect on her part. At the same time he felt a bit threatened. She had the gall to look amused when she caught the look on his face.

"Well?"

"Of course I do! Do you want to spend your time being tortured in this filthy excuse for a cell?!"

He couldn't help the outburst that pushed past his lips. He couldn't help the slight blush either, as it wasn't like him to be so boisterous. But then he realized what she was offering him, and the blush melted right off his face. He looked her straight in the eyes, and unbeknownst to him they flickered dark gold, seeming to catch onto his serious mood.

"Can you really get me out of here?"

She stared right back into his eyes, and without even blinking; amused tone still in place, said "Of course. I can at least give you a chance. Do you think I would even be here if I couldn't?

* * *

**Okay, this is really short. I just needed to write something to bring myself out of this stupid Writers Block. I needed to force a chapter out, and I definitely feel better about it. I didn't want to go so long without a chapter, and I feel kind of dead while writing this one, but I hope it's not too bad. At least I am getting back into it and I am finally getting used to work.**

**That should be the last of Asuna we see for the next couple chapters, if everything goes alright, and I don't need to stuff in some filler.**

**But in other news, I know it seems really obvious, but if you ever use an industrial oven? Yeah, go the extra mile and use that oven mitt rather than those stupid towels. My arms are burned all over, it looks like I got scratched by a rabid fire cat. AND I BURNT MY FACE. So now I look like a tiger with only one stripe. *Sigh***

**So, here you guys go and sorry for this pitiable excuse of a chapter.**

**Have a nice day! **


	12. A Bit of Exploration

**Hi everyone! It's nice to 'see' all of you!**

**I feel like it's been a while, but that's what happens when you work almost full time while going to school full time. So, sorry bout that, but after the review answers and favs… Ill leave you to the chapter.**

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**Feels like its been forever...maybe because it has been. I don't want to be a flaky author, but while I can not promise constant updates, I do promise not to drop this story. I will finish it, even if it takes forever. Which it won't. Hopefully.**

**Soooo… what happened last "chapter"….**

* * *

"Can you really get me out of here?"

She stared right back into his eyes, and without even blinking; amused tone still in place, said "Of course. I can at least give you a chance. Do you think I would even be here if I couldn't?"

* * *

**Chapter 12**

* * *

For all of the impossibility of what she was promising him, she didn't seem to be lying, but how was it possible, and what would she gain from it? That's what most people seemed to need though, while he helped people for the sake of helping, many people needed a reason to.

Taking his silence to be the answer she was waiting forward she moved forward to crouch infront of him, eyeing the chains with a trained eye. They narrowed, and she moved her hand in a complicated formation before arranging them as if on a keyboard in front of her. This continued for a few minutes, her mumbling occasionally to herself as she worked on disrupting the code.

He took his time to examine her closer, how her hair was in a messy bun, how even in the dim light her bright red hair, brighter than any possible human, real life color, cascaded over her eyes as she concentrated. However, leaning as close as she was to him, he couldn't help but notice her not inconsiderable bust. Struggling to avert his eyes, as even though he was not romantically interested in her, he couldn't help but blush at the sight. Averting his eyes, color painting his cheeks, he muttered "You done yet?"

Shooting him an amused glance she input two more numbers "What? Is something... bothering you?" all with this smug smile on her face pushing herself a little closer. He only looked harder in the opposite direction; she stared at him for a second, but her eyes abruptly turned cold as ice, contrary to her fiery hair. She leaned back, before pushing with her legs into a standing position. "Yeah I'm done. Now hurry up. We have to go."

She turned her back to him and walked to the door, opening it and preparing to walk out, a brief glance in his direction the only warning that she was not going to wait for him if he let himself get left behind. Scrambling to his feet, he surged forward, crossing the distance to the door in less time than he would have expected. Especially considering the various… activities he had been subjected to in his stay. Standing at the door, he leaned against the wall, staying out of sight as she leaned carefully out looking for any possible witnesses.

Rubbing his wrists, he tried to ignore the feeling of being able to feel the rawness of them, rather than the former feeling of numbness. Even after all this time of pain and suffering, the fact that he could feel pain still came as a surprise.

He shook his head, dislodging those thoughts. He quickly returned his eyes to the woman in front of him, this was no time to get distracted. Creeping carefully forward, they advanced from the corridor. They made not a sound, breath fogging in the air. Their shoes clapped against the floor, even though they tried to muffle the steps. They advanced, with her making vague comments as they passed various rooms.

The room closest to his was something out of a science fiction novel. He wasn't sure about the rest of the world, but it seemed that like his cell was more medieval. However this room contradicted that idea. The woman noticed his attention and commented offhandedly "Oh, that's the control room for your cell."

He glanced back in the room, but as she didn't stop he had to continue. He observed her back as she walked ahead of him and took the chance that she might answer some questions.

"So… Where am I?

She looked back, seemingly startled by his random question,thin eyebrows rising slightly up her forehead, but this was quickly erased.

"The Floating City" this came out sharp, and bit off.

"What's the floating city?"

"The city floating above the World Tree." This came out even more reluctantly.

"…are you going to keep answering like this, or are you going to actually explain this to me." At this point, his face was flat, expecting nothing in response.

"…The World Tree is the center of ALO." She threw a quick glance in his direction, speaking quietly over her shoulder "ALO, ALfheim Online: the next SAO." He couldn't help but take in a sharp breath at the mention of SAO.

"You mean…"

"Oh, you're asking if they were trapped in the game. No, they weren't. They were free to come and go. I mean that it was the first most popular VRMMORPG since the SAO incident. It was surprising, that it rebounded so quickly." She turned around and pulled him into a small indentation in the wall.

"This is a little…"

They were pressed together in such a small place, but she placed her hand over his mouth silencing him mid-sentence. He peered over her shoulder as two slug people slimed by.

"Really?!"

"… and so it seemed to induce a kind of acute amnesia controllable by…" their voices faded as they walked by. Returning his gaze to her face, he asked her,

"Why am I here?"

"You are here because-"

* * *

**Alright, I'm gonna be a jerk and end it there. I am going to try out a new system. Maybe shorter chapters will entice me to update more often, rather than leaving you dear faithful readers out in the cold. Hopefully the quality is good. Thanks everyone for reading and staying with this train-wreck. **

**Have a nice day :D**


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